As Europe's top soccer leagues reach their stride, a longer-than-usual break for international matches is on the horizon. Despite this, several early-season themes are emerging. One of the most notable storylines is Barcelona's exceptional start, with 31 goals in seven straight league wins, averaging 4.3 goals per match. Brazilian winger Raphinha has been instrumental in this success, scoring 12 goals, including back-to-back hat tricks, after being deployed in a central role.
Barcelona's impressive start is made sweeter by the early-season troubles of fierce rival Real Madrid, which has lost twice and is already six points off the pace. José Mourinho, who returned to Madrid this season, has been critical of referees and complained of "strange" things happening to his team. This has led to speculation that Barcelona's fast start is getting to him. Meanwhile, Manchester City and Tottenham have taken different paths despite both spending over $400 million on new players in the summer transfer window.
Manchester City has made an ominous start to the post-Pep Guardiola era with five straight victories, topping the Premier League standings. In contrast, Tottenham is in last place, yet to win, and only recorded its first goals this past weekend. Despite its biggest ever summer spend and no European competitions to distract it, Tottenham's struggles continue, with new players, a new coach, and the same old cultural problems. Manchester United, another English soccer giant, is also struggling, with just one win from its first five games.
Paris Saint-Germain, the European champions, is pacing its season, knowing that the second half of the campaign is crucial. As a result, PSG's slow start in the French league, with two wins from five games, should not be a cause for concern. The team has a star-studded squad, with many players having long World Cup campaigns, including Ferran Torres, who scored seven times in six matches, including a Champions League hat trick.
The men's Ballon d'Or award is shaping up to be an open race, with Harry Kane and Kylian Mbappé emerging as strong contenders. Kane has been breaking scoring records at Bayern Munich, while Mbappé is lobbying for the award through interviews with international media. The voting criteria include individual performances, collective performances, and fair play, with a deadline of July 19, the day of the World Cup final.
Clubs that had historically good seasons last year are struggling to replicate their success this season. Lens, Heart of Midlothian, and Thun were media darlings last season, making bold runs at their first league titles in decades. However, they have all experienced significant changes, with coaches and star players leaving for bigger and wealthier clubs. Lens has already fired its new coach, Dino Toppmöller, while Thun is ninth in the Swiss Super League.
For clubs struggling to find form, instant help is available in the form of free agents. Karim Benzema, Paul Pogba, Jadon Sancho, Anthony Martial, and Mauro Icardi are all available to sign outside of the formal transfer window. While they will not be cheap, they could provide a solution for teams that have made slow starts or failed to complete their business in the transfer market.
Key points
- Barcelona is leading the charge in Europe's top leagues with a scorching attack.
- PSG is pacing its season, knowing that the second half of the campaign is crucial.
- Tottenham is struggling despite its biggest ever summer spend and no European competitions.
