The English Premier League served up Hollywood style drama in the first Top Four encounter of the season when Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel and his Tottenham Hotspur counterpart Antonio Conte repeatedly locked horns on the touchline only for both to be sent off at the end of a pulsating 2-2 draw at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea bossed possession and twice went ahead through home debutant Kalidou Koulibaly and Reece James, only for Spurs to equalise through Pierre Hoijberg and a late Harry Kane header.
The stalemate meant Manchester City and Arsenal are the only two teams with a one hundred percent record after two match days. Pep Guardiola’s reigning champions were comfortable 4-0 winners over newcomers Bournemouth in a game that will be remembered for Erling Braut Haaland’s misery nine touches though one was an assist for Ilkay Gundogan’s opener. Arsenal maintained their perfect start thanks to two goals and as many assists for Gabriel Jesus who was making his home debut after a switch from Etihad Stadium to the Emirates.
All across Europe, summer signings made their mark with three former Premier League strikers among those getting off the mark on their debuts. Chelsea flop Romelu Lukaku netted within ninety seconds of his return to Inter Milan to help Simone Inzaghi’s Nerrazzuri to a hard fought 2-1 victory at newly promoted Lecce; Ademola Lookman was on target in Atalanta’s 2-0 win over Sampdoria and Luka Jovic, on loan from Real Madrid, helped Fiorentina to a 3-2 win over battling Cremonese.
Champions AC Milan lead the embryonic table following a 4-2 victory over Udinese courtesy of a brace from Ante Rebic. Elsewhere, Jose Mourinho’s AS Roma pipped Salernitana 1-0, Spezia triumphed over Empoli by a similar scoreline and Maurizio Sarri’s Lazio were 2-1 winners over Bologna. Record Scudetto winners were scheduled to play Sassuolo at the Allianz Arena in Turin on Monday night.
In Germany, Timo Werner marked his return to RB Leipzig by bagging the opener in an entertaining 2-2 draw with Koln. The result means Domenico Todesco’s moneybags are falling behind early season pacesetters and title favourites Bayern Munich who dismissed Wolfsburg 2-0 courtesy of first half goals by Jamal Musiala and veteran Thomas Muller. Second favourites Borussia Dortmund kept pace with the Allianz Arena outfit thanks to a 3-1 win at Christian Streich’s dangerous Freiburg.
Meantime in Ligue One Renato Sanchez was straight onto the score sheet in Paris Saint Germain’s 5-2 obliteration of Montpellier in a match that witnessed Neymar continue his blistering start to the campaign with a brace. Three of the pretenders to the Parisians’ throne all lost points with Breel Embolo rescuing ten man Monaco a point in a one all draw with Rennes, last season’s runners up Marseille held to an identical stalemate at Brest and Strasbourg drawing 1-1 with Nice.
