5 takeaways from a fascinating weekend of European football

The European season is now in full swing, and the weekend provided lots to ponder on for fans of the beautiful game.

In England, the refusal of the FA to introduce Video Assistant Referee (VAR) to the Premier League again came to the fore as champions Manchester City were unjustly denied of three points against a plucky Wolves side. It was also a weekend characterized by the red mist as 4 red cards were awarded in just 9 games.

The Bundesliga kicked off as well with Borussia Dortmund starting life under Lucien Favre with a comprehensive 4-1 defeat of an RB Leipzig side still looking short of that extra touch of class needed to challenge for the title.

Juventus and Napoli continued their 100 percent starts with impressive victories over Lazio and AC Milan respectively, while Inter Milan once again faltered. Fiorentina also blew Chievo Verona away with a brilliant 6 goal salvo.

Here is a look at 5 things that came to the fore over the weekend in European football.

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#5 Europe’s elite will have little to fear from Bayern Munich

Bayern may have won, but they will struggle against the better teams in Europe

The Bavarian giants started the Bundesliga season with a win over fellow UEFA Champions League team TSG Hoffenheim. However, given how the game unfolded, and the state of the squad, Europe’s elite teams will not be scared of the Germans.

In Niko Kovac's first league game, Bayern struggled to create clear-cut chances, and there was a lack of fluidity in the team’s play. Kovac had gone for a very attacking line up with Franck Ribery and Kingsley Coman flanking Robert Lewandowski, and Thomas Muller playing just behind the pole.

With Thiago Alcantara sitting deep to dictate play, there was a lack of control in the game as it went from end to end. It took an 82nd minute penalty from Lewandowski for FC Hollywood to edge ahead of the plucky Hoffenheim side.

The Bayern team is one that is rapidly aging, and looked short of ideas on how to turn dominance into goals. Muller has been poor for about two seasons now, and seems to be immune from criticism.

Why the powers that be have failed to sanction transfers to help the team refresh is quite baffling. Old warhorses - Arjen Robben and Ribery will once again be crucial if the team is to do anything meaningful in Europe.

#4 Inter Milan continue to flounder defensively

Inter's defence may let them down

Before the 2018-19 Serie A season kicked off, a lot of pundits had placed Luciano Spaletti’s Inter side as one of the main contenders for the Scudetto crown. This was due to the praiseworthy work the team had done on transfers during the off season with £69.75 million worth of talent brought in to strengthen the team which had finished 4th last season.

However, it has not gone to plan yet with the Nerazzurri yet to get a win after 2 games. In the first game against Sassuolo, Miranda’s mistake led to a penalty which was dispatched promptly.

In last night’s game against Torino, the attack sparkled in the first half with 2 goals and a display filled with verve, and flair. It was good value for the lead. Unfortunately, the defence let the team down in the second half.

Goalkeeper Samir Handanovic was at fault for the first goal as his misjudging of a long ball allowed Andrea Belotti to control superbly and roll the ball into an empty net. Panic and a failure to clear their lines led to Torino's second scored by Souleymane Meite.

Marcelo Brozovic and Matias Vecino failed to offer adequate protection to the back-line, while left-back Daniele d'Ambrosio was terrible. Coach Spalletti will have to sort these issues soon (especially on defending crosses and long balls) if the team is to do anything of note this season.

#3 This might be PSG’s easiest title win ever

Monaco and the other chasers look ill-equipped to challenge PSG

The 2018-19 Ligue 1 season is just 3 games in, but it does not seem presumptuous to state that PSG will once again stroll to the title. This is based not on the quality of the Parisien team (they are by far the best team in the league), but rather it’s based on the shared incompetence of the chasing pack.

Another season of wholesale changes in the playing staff has seen AS Monaco look disjointed and uncertain in their three league games so far. 4 points in three matches read for grim viewing for fans of Les Rouges et Blancs (The Red and Whites).

Leonardo Jardim will need to work quickly to integrate the over 12 new players (plus returnees who were on loan last season) but it looks to be getting even more difficult.

Not much was expected of Olympique Marseille following their relative inactivity in the transfer market, but the team’s ardent fans will have been disappointed by Les Olympiens (The Olympians) performances so far. Like Monaco, 4 points from 9 in games against mid-table fodder like Rennes, Nimes, and Toulouse does not bode well for Rudi Garcia’s side.

Lyon has been better but not by much, with captain Nabil Fekir yet to find his feet after the World Cup and his failed transfer to Liverpool. While the team has 2 wins from three games, it has been a slog, with the team not playing with its usual swagger.

All three sides will need to up their game considerably if they are to stand any chance of stopping PSG from winning its 4th Ligue 1 title in 5 years.

#2 Arsenal’s defence continues to creak

Arsenal's defence is still an issue

Unai Emery may have won his first 3 points as Arsenal manager, but the meticulous Spaniard will be under no illusions as to the size of the rebuilding task awaiting him.

He will be grateful for the 3-1 scoreline, but make no mistake about it; it was a result that greatly flattered The Gunners. West Ham are just as much of a shamble under Manuel Pellegrini as they were last season. But attacking-wise, The Hammers are far better than they were under David Moyes.

Against Arsenal on Saturday, they created many chances and were let down by poor finishing. For The Gunners, Hector Bellerin and Shkodran Mustafi in particular, were poor, they were exposed against the pace of Mikhail Antonio, and the trickery of Felipe Anderson.

Mustafi was given a torrid time by Marko Arnautovic, and had to be bailed out a number of times by defensive partner Sokratis Papastathopoulos and the increasingly influential Mattéo Guendouzi

With Cardiff City to come this weekend, the goal-shy Welsh team are the perfect opponents for The Gunners to get their first clean sheet of the season.

#1 Real Madrid are purring along nicely

Real Madrid are coming along nicely under Lopetegui

The post Zinedine Zidane and Cristiano Ronaldo era has started in earnest at the Santiago Bernabeu. Although it's still early days, Madridistas will be happy with what they have seen so far.

Two teams have been dispatched so far in the 2018-19 LaLiga season, and the signs are good that Los Merengues are coming along nicely under new manager Julen Lopetegui.

Against a stubborn Girona side over the weekend, Madrid had gone behind to a well taken Borja Garcia goal, but roused themselves superbly to put 4 past their Catalan opposition.

Lopetegui would have been impressed by the manner of the comeback as the team never panicked and continued to play their football, confident in their abilities to get the desired result. Marco Asensio and Gareth Bale were lively down the flanks, with the Welshman really enjoying the license to roam that he has been given.

Karim Benzema looked sharp, and Isco seemed to be getting into his new play-making role slowly but surely. The manager would have been upset about the manner of the goal conceded, and the number of saves Keylor Navas had to make, but overall it has been an encouraging start for the 3-peat European Champions.