Can anyone stop Bayern?

After last season’s disappointment on missing out on three pieces of silverware, you wouldn’t blame Bayern for coming out of traps slowly this campaign. It’s fair to say they’ve not started the season in disappointing fashion however though, with eight wins from eight Bundesliga games; they’ve already created a huge gap between their closest rivals. Given their incredible start, can anyone catch Bayern Munich?

Jupp Heynckes has added superbly to the Munich squad over the summer, with every position improved with a new face. The most notable signing for the club was the 40million euro capture of Javi Martinez from Athletic Bilbao. The fee was hefty one, but the German side have brought in a top quality midfielder who is equally adapt playing in front of the defence as he is off a striker. Mario Mandzukic has hit the ground running, which has been ideal timing for Munich given the injury to the prolific Mario Gomez. Defensively Dante was added from league rivals Borussia Monchengladbach, with Xherdan Shaqiri also moving to the Allianz Arena from FC Basel.

Dante joined Bayern relatively late in his career

Arjen Robben, Franck Ribery, Shaqiri, Toni Kroos or Thomas Muller take ya pick. They are some creative midfielders I’ve just named there. Their attacking strength in depth is up there with the very best in world football, and for me only Real Madrid and Barcelona are better than this current Munich side.

Munich are already an incredible 12 points clear of last season’s winners Borussia Dortmund, which just eight league games in, is a huge lead. Schalke are realistic title challengers, however Bayern Munich outclassed them in the Gelsenkirchen and are already seven clear of the Miners’.

Another reason nobody will catch Munich this year is the fact revenge is well and truly on Bayern’s agenda. Second in the title race, coupled with two final defeats at the hands of Dortmund in the German Cup as well as losing to Chelsea on penalties in the Champions league final means that Munich have more motivation to do well then most years.

Drogba and Co won the Champions league in Bayern's back garden

This current Dortmund side is superb and were brilliant away to Manchester City in their recent Champions league game; however despite back to back title wins, they’ll finish behind Bayern in the race for the Bundesliga this year!

European round up

Spain
Barcelona lost for the first time this season, as Getafe stunned their illustrious rivals with a defensively strong performance in a 1-0 victory. Defeat for Barca, means they now trail Real Madrid by six points after Jose Mourinho's side won the Madrid derby 4-1.

A Valera header won the game for Getafe, as Barcelona without Andres Iniesta, Cesc Fabregas and Carlos Puyol failed to break down their opponents.

Just hours before two Cristiano Ronaldo penalties helped Real extend their lead at the top of the table. Atletico had opened the scoring through Adrian just 15 minutes in; however their joy was short lived as Thibaut Courtois, the man on loan from Chelsea, was sent off in conceding a penalty.

Ronaldo levelled from the spot, and after that Real really made their extra man count, as further goals from Angel Di Maria, Gonzalo Higuain and a second penalty from Ronaldo. The second penalty award saw Atletico go down to nine men as Diego Godin was shown his marching orders for a second yellow card.

Inigo Martinez scored an incredible winner from his own half for Real Sociedad as they edged an incredible match 3-2 against Real Betis, whose poor run extended to nine games without a win.

Big spending Malaga take on the injury hit Villarreal tonight.

La Liga results
Mallorca 2 Racing Santander 1
Athletic Bilbao 0 Granada 1
Zaragoza 0 Sevilla 1
Levante 4 Sporting Gijon 0
Rayo Vallecano 1 Valencia 2
Espanyol 1 Osasuna 2



Germany
Bayern relinquished top spot of the Bundesliga as a second consecutive defeat saw the Munich giants slip to third. The Austrian Andreas Ivanschitz opened the scoring before Daniel Van Buyten scored his first of the game to level the game.

However Mainz were the better side, and two quick goals from Marco Caligiuri and Niko Bungert gave the relegation threatened side breathing space. A second Van Buyten goal wasn’t enough as Bayern’s poor form continued.

The surprise package Borussia Monchengladbach went top of the Bundesliga, all be it only for a short time, after a comprehensive 3-0 away victory against Koln on Friday. Last year’s champions Dortmund regained the spot on goal difference with a comfortable 2-0 home win against Schalke. Goals from Robert Lewandowski and Felipe Santana ensured they took full advantage of Bayern’s Sunday slip up.


Italy

Juventus extended their unbeaten start to eleven games with an impressive 1-0 away win at Lazio. Simone Pepe's 34th minute winner gave the Turin side their seven win of the season as victory saw them replace Udinese at the top of the table. Juventus face Napoli next in a re-arranged fixture as the game was postponed due to flooding recently, and the match will no doubt test Conte's side title credentials.

Flying in Europe, struggling at home, that’s the scenario Napoli are in currently. With just four wins in 11 games this league campaign, Walter Mazzarri's side are struggling, and were fortunate to leave the Stadio Atleti Azzurri d'Italia with a point, as Edison Cavani's late goal ensured the game finished 1-1. Atalanta have done brilliantly this year, and if they had started the season without a six point deduction, they would sit an impressive fifth place.

Elsewhere in Italy A.C Milan romped to a 4-0 win over Cheivo, with Zlatan Ibrahimovic scoring his 100th Serie A goal in the process. All four strikes came in a dominant first half. Thiago Silva, a double from Ibrahimovic and an Alexander Pato strike meant Milan went second for the first time this season. A.C's city rivals Inter Milan, won back-to-back league games for the first time this season as Luc Castaignos's 90th minute winner stole the points from Siena.

Serie A results

Udinese 2 Roma 0
Leece 0 Catania 1
Novara 2 Parma 1
Cagliari 1 Bologna 1
Cesena 2 Genoa 0
Palermo 2 Fiorentina 0

Bayern's dominance overshadowed by Tevez saga

A Mario Gomez double ensured Bayern Munich maintained their stranglehold on Group A, as they beat Manchester City 2-0.

Despite dominating the opening proceedings, City were poor and Bayern scored twice in a seven minute period before half-time, both through the right foot of Gomez, which effectively killed the game as a contest.

With his side trailing by two goals, Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini controversially brought off Edin Dzeko for the defensive minded Nigel De Jong, to the frustration of not only Dzeko but a clearly annoyed Carlos Tevez after the Argentine was snubbed in favour of De Jong. Reportedly the former United striker refused to warm up and come on in response to Mancini's decision.

The early oppourtunites fell the way of City, and the in form Dzeko should've opened the scoring from a Micah Richards cross, however the Bosnian striker's finish was tame and right at the impressive Manuel Neuer.

The attacking full back was again at the hub of City's forward play, and Richards' felt he should've had a penalty after an apparent trip from the former Blue Jerome Boateng. Replay's suggested there was contact however the referee Kassai didn't give it.

City's stranglehold on the match was beginning to loosen and Bayern Munich were now the ones threatening to open the scoring. Long range efforts from Franck Ribery and Bastian Schweinsteiger were comfortably dealt with by Joe Hart in the City goal. The later should've given Bayern the lead however with a different chance as Thomas Mueller did brilliantly to create a chance for Schweinsteiger in the six yard box, however the German midfielder blazed over.

However the German's opened the scoring shortly after through Gomez after Hart failed to brilliantly thwart Munich for a third time. Ribery created the opener after he cut inside Richards and his long range shot was well saved by Hart, who expertly stopped Mueller from tapping in the rebound, however Gomez tapped in a simple chance.

Munich had a penalty appeal of their own as Ribery appeared to be blocked off by Vincent Kompany, however City couldn't prevent Bayern from doubling their first half lead. Dzeko felled Phillip Lahm, and Ribery's resulting free kick was headed goalwards by Daniel Van Buyten, and Hart again superbly repelled the header, however Gomez reacted the quickest to score from close range.

The second half saw a European masterclass in keeping the ball from Munich, as City, despite their negative change in De Jong on for Dzeko, Bayern dominated the midfield as Mueller and Schweinsteiger in particular were awesome.

The substitution of De Jong caused clear frustration for the snubbed Tevez, however his response in refusal to be brought on was appauling. The understandable disappointment of being ignored is fair, however with his side in a poor predicament, the players's poor reaction will result in the end of Tevez's City up and down career.

Bayern saw the second half out comfortably, and if it wasn't for Hart, Bayern and Gomez alike could've had their third. However it didn't matter and Munich sit comfortably at the top of Group A, and continue their incredible clean sheet record which has been extended to ten games.

For City however, the Tevez enquiry will start when the club arrive back from Munich and with a double header against Villarreal coming up, the incredible start they had to the season now seems a distant memory to the Citizens.



Match ratings

Bayern Munich team: Neuer 6, Rafinha 7, Van Buyten 6, Boateng 8, Lahm 7, Ribery 8 (Robben 90, 5), Dias 7, Schweinsteiger 8, Kroos 7 (Tymoschuk 82, 5), Mueller 8, Gomez 8 (Peterson 90, 5)

Manchester City team: Hart 8, Richards 7, Kompany 6, K.Toure 5, Clichy 6, Y.Toure 6, Barry 5 (Kolarov 73, 5), Silva 7, Nasri 5 (Milner 69, 5), Aguero 6, Dzeko 5 (De Jong 55, 5)

Rest of Europe round up

Rest of Europe round up

Bundesliga

Bayern Munich and Mario Gomez in particular were amongst the goals in Germany as they thrashed a poor Freiburg.

The German international scored four goals in this one sided encounter as Bayern made it four wins in a row to top the Bundesliga, putting behind them their opening day defeat at home to Borussia Monchengladbach. Franck Ribery got two as well as a late goal from substitute Nils Petersen. Munich made a good week great with a brilliant win in Spain against Villarreal in their Group A opener.

Dortmund's inconsistent defence of their title continued as they lost 2-1 at home to newly promoted Hertha Berlin. The result saw the Champions slide to 11th in the table, five points behind Bayern Munich and Werder Bremen, with the later beating Hamburg 2-0 thanks to a double from former Chelsea striker Claudio Pizarro. Defeat for Hamburg ensured they remained bottom of the league, with just one point from their opening five games. Despite Pizarro's goals, Marko Marin was in fantastic form and after losing  Per Mertesacker on deadline day to Arsenal, the club will no doubt be delighted to hold onto their prized asset.

Felix Magath got revenge on Schalke, for sacking him last season, as his new employers Wolfsburg won a entertaining match 2-1 with Mario Mandzukic scoring late on to secure a comeback victory. The win was a needed one for Wolfsburg who had won just once in their opening four games, in contrast to Schalke who would've gone level at the top of the Bundesliga with victory in the Volkswagen Arena.

Other results saw Leverkusen thrash newly promoted FC Augsburg 4-1 in the Friday match, which saw them, for a short while top the league. Hoffenhaim moved into fifth with a 4-0 away thrashing of Mainz who were the surprise package of the 2010-11.

The best of this weekend's fixtures undoubtedly see's the return of Manuel Neuer to Schalke as Bayern Munich travel to the Veltins-Arena in a top of the table clash. Munich haven't conceded a goal since the opening day of the season in all competition, however Schalke haven't struggled to score this season with Jan Klaas Huntelaar with four goals to his name already.

Ligue 1

Champions Lille came from behind to beat St.Etienne 3-1, with two goals from their star player Edin Hazard. An own goal from former Newcastle defender David Rozenhal gave the home side the lead, however Hazard levelled in superb fashion with a solo goal after beating three St.Etienne players. His second goal saw Lille take the lead for the first time in the match as his smashed finish went into the roof of the net. New signing Joe Cole set up the third for  Ludovic Obraniak who finished with style.

The early pacesetters Montepellier extended their stay at the top of the table with victory at home to Nice. A 74th minute strike from Souleymane Camara was enough to claim all three points in a 1-0. Lyon moved to second of the Ligue 1 with a 2-1 away day victory against Dijon. Bafetimbi Gomis scored the winner eight minuites into the second half. Marsielle's poor start to the season continued with a home defeat to Rennes. Bordeaux, like Marsielle, also continued in drab fashion as they could only muster a goalless draw at home to Evain. PSG beat Brest 1-0, as Javier Pastore scored the only goal to fire the Paris side to 4th in the