KAMPALA: Golden oldie Karim Benzema warmed up for his Ballon d’Or award by guiding Real Madrid to a historic 3-1 triumph over rivals Barcelona at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium on Sunday evening. The Frenchman converted a rebound to open the scoring for the reigning Liga Santander and European champions, before goals by Federico Valverde and Rodrygo Goes propelled Los Blancos to a three point advantage atop the standings.
Heroic defending was the hallmark of Atletico Madrid’s game as Diego Simeone’s battlers moved up to familiar third after outlasting Athletic Bilbao 1-0 at the San Mames courtesy of an Antoine Greizman strike. The Wanda Metropolitano outfit were joined on 19 points by Manuel Pellegrini’s resurgent Real Betis, 3-1 winners over Almeria, and Real Sociedad, who overcame hard fighting Celta Vigo 2-1 at the Estadio Municipal de Balaidos.
Union Berlin’s fairytale start to the Bundesliga season continued unabated when they tamed Borussia Dortmund 2-0 via a Jannik Haberer double to help Urs Fischer’s team extend their advantage atop the standings. The capital based side are four points ahead of Julian Nagelsmann’s perennial champions Bayern Munich who dismissed Christian Streich’s Freiburg 5-0 with five different players getting onto the score sheet.
Egyptian king Mohamed Salah underlined his return to blistering form by converting the solitary goal as 19-time champions Liverpool defied their lowly league position to upset previously unbeaten Manchester City 1-0 at Anfield. The three-time Premier League top scorer had an inauspicious start to the campaign but burst into life with a record breaking six minute hat trick in the Kop’s 7-1 evisceration of Glasgow Rangers last week.
Arsenal were the principal beneficiaries of the reigning champions’ loss, with the Gunners atrocious 1-0 triumph over stubborn Leeds United powering the North Londoners to a four point cushion atop the embryonic table. City were joined in joint second by Tottenham Hotspur, 2-0 winners over Everton. Chelsea complete the Top Four following their 2-0 win over Aston Villa. It was new boss Graham Potter’s fifth straight win in all competitions.
Nigerian power forward Victor Osimhen stabbed home a second half clincher as Napoli maintained their unbeaten start to the campaign by subduing resilient Bologna 3-2 at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium in Naples. Luciano Spalletti’s Partenopei are two points ahead of Gian Piero Gasperini’s Atalanta of Bergamo after the Nerazzuri edged Sassuolo 2-1 thanks to Ademola Lookman’s well taken winner. Champions AC Milan took sole possession of third place following a 2-1 win at Hellas Verona.
In France, Paris Saint Germain pipped Olympique Marseille 1-0 to open up a three point cushion over upstarts Lorient. Neymar’s ninth Ligue One goal of the season put him level with Lille’s Jonathan David in the race for the Golden Boot. Lorient are second despite being held to a goalless draw at home to Reims. Marseille dropped to third, two points ahead of Bruno Genesio’s Rennes, 3-2 winners over Laurent Blanc’s Olympique Lyon.