Club soccer is back and roaring, people! After that extended 16-day international break, the European pitches absolutely erupted this past weekend, and we’re seven weeks into the 2026-27 season with some wild action setting the stage for a full slate of UEFA Champions League matches midweek. Seriously, some of the biggest teams and players wowed fans, but it’s the unexpected stories that are really popping off right now.
Bundesliga Shakes Up The Old Guard
Can you believe what’s happening in the Bundesliga? Freiburg, the “Breisgau Brazilians,” are straight-up leading the league five matches in, ahead of both Dortmund and Bayern! That’s not just a fluke, either. They stayed unbeaten on Sunday after pulling off a 2-1 win over Schalke, even playing the final 26 minutes with only 10 men. That’s some grit, man. They could even be higher on this list, according to the word on the street. Not far behind them, Leverkusen is looking good too, now sitting all alone in 4th after their stirring 4-3 triumph away to Mainz on Saturday, bringing their record to 3-1-1. Life is definitely good for these unexpected contenders.
Serie A’s Consistency and Prem League’s Puzzling Start
Over in Italy, Lazio is straight-up unbeaten at 4-0-1, and they’re even on points with Serie A leaders and Scudetto holders Inter. Talk about holding it down! Roma is also staying strong, holding the same Top 3 spot they finished in last season, which was their best finish in seven years. The Giallorossi, led by Paulo Dybala, are going to need to manage fighting on multiple fronts, though, with Real Madrid coming to Rome for Champions League action on Wednesday. Meanwhile, in the Premier League, Brentford is right where the standings say they are: a Champions League qualifier on goal difference if the season ended today. But then there’s Liverpool. The 2025 Premier League champs are off to a slow start under their new Spanish boss, Andoni Iraola. They’ve only got two wins from six played, took a lopsided loss to City on Sunday, and are currently ninth in the Prem. They’ll need a big rebound next weekend at fourth-place Brentford, but first, they have to head to Austria for a midweek Champions League date with LASK. On the other side of London, Chelsea looks sharp under first-year manager Xabi Alonso, who just oversaw their biggest win of the season, a 5-1 smackdown of usually plucky Bournemouth on Saturday. With English playmakers Cole Palmer and Morgan Rogers, and Brazilian striker João Pedro leading the charge, the London club is well-positioned to compete for a Top 3 finish for the first time since 2021-22.
Monaco, Porto, and Betis Bring the Heat
Monaco has totally rebounded from finishing seventh last season in France’s top flight. They’re leading Ligue 1 just six games into this 2026-27 season, and they’ve done it mostly without U.S. World Cup star Folarin Balogun, who’s only logged 46 minutes since missing four matches around his collapsed transfer deadline day move to Everton. In Portugal, Porto is absolutely perfect with an 8-0 record in Liga Portugal. Seriously, eight and oh! They’re looking to grab their first Champions League win on Wednesday when they travel across the Spanish border to face Betis. And speaking of Real Betis, they’re on fire too, with a 6-1-1 record, even on points in La Liga with second-place Atleti, and one point clear of Real Madrid in fourth. They trounced Osasuna 5-2 on Sunday. Is Betis the real deal? We’re about to find out, especially with that Champions League clash against Porto coming up.
The midweek Champions League matches are going to be huge for a lot of these teams, from Porto trying to keep their winning ways alive against Betis, to Roma facing Real Madrid, and Liverpool needing to get things right in Austria. It’s early, but these trends are setting the stage for an absolutely wild season!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Fox Sports.
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