Unstoppable Barcelona continue perfect start
Barcelona maintained their perfect start in LaLiga as forwards Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha both scored twice to help them thrash hosts Villarreal 5-1 in a highly entertaining clash on Sunday.
Lewandowski found the net twice inside 35 minutes before Villarreal pulled a quick one back through Ayoze Perez but Pablo Torre made it 3-1 after the break and Raphinha completed the rout for Barca with two goals late in the second half.
Hansi Flick's side extended their winning streak in the league to six games as they bounced back from their 2-1 loss against Monaco in the Champions League on Thursday.
Barcelona remain top of the standings on 18 points as they preserved a four-point lead over defending champions Real Madrid in second.
Villarreal, who were handed their first LaLiga loss of the season, are fifth with 11 points.
The visitors lost goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen just before halftime after the German keeper fell and was visibly in pain as he was carried off the pitch on a stretcher.
Depleted Barca were already without new signing Dani Olmo, sidelined with a right hamstring injury, and fellow midfielders Gavi, Frenkie de Jong, Marc Bernal and Fermin Lopez, as well as defenders Ronald Araujo and Andreas Christensen.
Villarreal proved to be challenging opponents, dangerous on counter-attack and had three goals disallowed throughout the game for minimal offside.
First of them took place in the eighth minute when Yeremy Pino thought he gave the hosts a shock lead after the midfielder lobbed Ter Stegen just to see the flag go up.
Lewandowski then opened the scoring after 20 minutes with a simple first-time finish and added a second in the 35th with an overhead kick from close range after the ball bounced off goalkeeper Diego Conde.
The Polish striker, who on this day nine years ago scored world record-setting five goals in the space of nine minutes for Bayern Munich, moved top of the scorers' standings on six goals in six games.
Villarreal were far from giving up and Perez pulled a goal back in the 38th minute before brilliant Ter Stegen denied Nicolas Pepe from levelling just before the break.
Barca, however, yet again proved unstoppable and Torre added a third with a shot from outside the box in the 58th minute before Raphinha netted his fourth and fifth goals of the campaign to seal the win.
Lewandowski could have scored his only second LaLiga hat-trick since he joined in 2022 when he executed a penalty after a foul on Lamine Yamal but he hit the post instead.
Barcelona have won their first six games of the campaign for the first time since 2017-18, and only for the eighth time in total.
Gabbia's late header earns Milan win over Inter
Matteo Gabbia headed home the winner in the closing minutes as AC Milan secured a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Inter Milan in Serie A on Sunday.
Defender Gabbia evaded his marker and found the top corner with a perfectly timed header from a free kick into the box in the 89th minute.
The victory lifted some of the pressure on Milan coach Paulo Fonseca following a disappointing start to the campaign, as Milan earned their first win in the Derby della Madonnina since 2022 following six consecutive defeats to Inter.
Milan had won just once in five games in all competitions to spark talk of a crisis, but Sunday's victory moved them to eight points in Serie A from five games, level with Inter.
"I am so happy for us, for the fans. It was a pretty difficult moment where things weren’t going well, but I am sure this game will give us a real energy boost," Gabbia told DAZN.
"It is our duty to give our all. There are negative moments in life and in careers, we must make sure that we don’t have regrets at the final whistle and that’s what happened today.
"We are always by the side of the coach, despite what is said outside."
Christian Pulisic opened the scoring for Milan in the 10th minute with a solo effort. The American forward skilfully navigated through Inter's defence, surged into the box, and fired a precise shot past goalkeeper Yann Sommer.
Inter levelled in the 27th minute when captain Lautaro Martinez set up Federico Dimarco, who found space on the edge of the box and unleashed a powerful strike into the back of the net.
Both Inter's Sommer and Milan's Mike Maignan made several crucial saves throughout the match until Gabbia snatched the winner.
"We had the wrong approach and weren't enough of a team, which is rare for us," said Inter coach Simone Inzaghi. "We didn't start either half with the right attitude."
Milan began the match aggressively, testing Sommer on several occasions before Pulisic's opener.
After Dimarco's equaliser, Inter's Marcus Thuram created an opportunity that was expertly denied by his fellow Frenchman Maignan, who was at full-stretch to palm the shot wide.
Milan pushed forward at the start of the second half, with Rafael Leao directing a header towards Sommer, who managed to get a hand on it to keep the ball out.
Inter fans had their hearts in their mouths moments later when the referee pointed to the penalty spot for a handball by Martinez. However, a VAR check revealed the ball had struck the Argentine on the shoulder, with the referee reversing his decision.
Maignan was called into action again, saving a volley from Martinez and Sommer dived to parry a shot from Milan's Tijjani Reijnders.
Yet just when it seemed that the outstanding displays from both goalkeepers would ensure the match ended in a draw, Reijnders took a free kick that found Gabbia, who clinched a crucial victory for Milan.
Atletico held to draw at Rayo Vallecano
Atletico Madrid were held to a 1-1 draw at city rivals Rayo Vallecano in LaLiga on Sunday after Conor Gallagher cancelled out Isi Palazon's opener for the hosts.
Palazon put Rayo ahead in the 35th minute off a fine pass from Andrei Ratiu after a quick breakaway, with the goal initially disallowed for offside but awarded after a VAR review.
The visitors suffered a further setback when they lost defender Cesar Azpilicueta to injury.
Atletico coach Diego Simeone tried to bolster his side's attack after the break with the introduction of Antoine Griezmann and Angel Correa, and it paid off quickly.
Gallagher equalised four minutes after the break, following a Correa build-up and brilliant play from Alexander Sorloth for his second league goal of the season.
However, Atletico could not keep up the pace to find a winner, dropping two points at the Vallecas Stadium.
"It is a very difficult pitch to play on, we didn't start well, we were bad, we lacked everything and in the second half we changed our attitude," Atletico captain Koke told Movistar Plus.
"We're dropping points in games like this and we have to continue as we did in the second half. We even had chances to come back but it wasn't possible.
"Gallagher comes from a different league, at a different pace, and we need people like him who can run," the midfielder added on the former Chelsea player.
Atletico, who are fourth on 12 points, six behind leaders Barcelona, next play at Celta Vigo on Thursday before next Sunday's derby against Real Madrid.
Rayo Vallecano are ninth with eight points.
