European round-up

La Liga
We kicked off in Spain and the champions picked up where they left off with a comprehensive 3-0 win at Racing Santander. Messi and Iniesta gave Barcelona a 2-0 half-time lead and David Villa opened his account in the second half. Worrying signs for everyone else in Spain!

Jose Mourinho’s reign at Real Madrid started with a disappointing 0-0 draw at Mallorca and an injury to Cristiano Ronaldo that will see him miss a couple of weeks.

Big winners on the opening weekend were Atletico Madrid for whom Diego Forlan scored a brace in their 4-0 win over Sporting and Sevilla who won 4-1 at Levante.

Serie A
AC Milan showed early intent of trying to take the Scudetta from their city rivals this season when they went 3-0 up inside the first half hour of the season at home to Lecce. They eventually won the game 4-0 with goals from Siva, Inzaghi and two from Pato.

Parma, Sampdoria, Chievo, Bari and Genoa all join Milan at the top on three points.

Bundesliga
Five teams have six points from their two games in Germany with Kaiserslautern and Hoffenheim leading the way on goal difference. Mainz, Hamburg and Hannover also have a maximum.

Champions Bayern Munich were the victims at Kaiserslautern, going down 2-0 thanks to two goals in one first half minute from Ilicevic, later sent off, and Lakic.

The most remarkable game saw Bayer Leverkusen go down 6-3 at home to Borussia Munchengladbach. Herrmann chipped in with two of the away side’s goals.

Eridivisie
After four games there are no 100% records in Holland, but Ajax and PSV are unbeaten and lead the rest by two points.

Ajax had a simple 5-0 win at De Graafschap with goals from Emanuelson, Eriksen and a hat-trick from the irrepressible Suarez.

PSV slipped up conceding a late goal to see them draw 2-2 at ADO Den Haag.

Spare a thought for Willem II who went down 3-0 at home to Groningen and sit rock bottom with no points, a goal difference of minus eleven and a whole heap of trouble.

Ligue 1
Toulouse are already four points clear with a 100% record from four games. Second half goals from Capoue and Tabanou gave them a 2-0 win at Nancy.

Rennes and Montpelier lead the chasing pack after they both had 1-0 away wins at Arles and Valenciennes respectively.

Portuguese Liga Sagres
Porto have won three out of three to sit two points clear of Braga at the top in Portugal.

A goal in each half from Hulk gave Porto a 2-0 win at Rio Ave, whilst Braga beat Maritimo courtesy of a Silvio goal on the stroke of half-time.

SPL
Surprises galore in Scotland. Oh no, wait a minute, no surprises at all. Rangers and Celtic lead the table by three points with 100% records after three games.

Rangers saw off a dogged St Johnstone side 2-1 with goals from Papac and Miller after the visitors had taken a surprise first half lead.

Celtic needed a second half Murphy penalty to see off ten man Motherwell.

Greek Super League
A few surprises in the first weekend in Greece as Olympiakos and AEK Athens were beaten and Panathinaikos could only manage a draw.

Olympiakos lost 2-1 at Iraklis whilst AEK lost by the same score at Kerkyra. Panathinaikos were held 1-1 at home by FC Xanthi.

Turkish Spor Toto Super Lig
Three wins from three games sees Bursaspor clear at the top by two points. A 2-0 win at Sivasspor on Saturday gave them a perfect start.

Struggling Galatasaray got their first win of the season with a 3-1 away win at Eskehiserspor.