Paris (France) (AFP) – Arsenal passes its first major test on Sunday against a Chelsea team that has been tough to read since the start of the season, but terribly effective up front, while Serie A will experience a shock at the top between Inter Milan, reigning champion, and Naples, its runner-up last year.

Published on: 03/09/2026 - 16:09

. England: sparks expected for the Arsenal-Chelsea clash

Two victories, no goals conceded... Arsenal (2nd, 6 pts) have, on paper, started their championship ideally. But his flawless performance must be qualified by the impression given after his match against Aston Villa (1-0), painful and laborious in its construction.

If, even on a day without, the Gunners have gotten used to getting by, they will undoubtedly have to do a little more against a Chelsea team (4th, 6 pts) all fired up.

Xabi Alonso's men have already conceded five goals in two matches, but have also won twice against Fulham and Brighton.

Manchester City (1st), also on 6 points, hosts Coventry after having dropped almost half a billion euros this summer to acquire Enzo Fernandez, Elliot Anderson and Ayyoub Bouaddi...

Having remained at the dock since the start of the season, with two almost miraculous draws, Liverpool (13th) needs to reassure itself and really launch its season. The arrival of Bradley Barcola, who is expected to make his debut against Ipswich on Friday, should do the most good up front.

. Italy: reunion at the top between Inter Milan and Naples

We only had to wait until the third day for Inter Milan to find Naples, the only team to challenge their supremacy in Serie A in recent seasons.

This clash on Saturday (6:00 p.m.) at San Siro pits the last two Italian champions, the last two vice-champions and the two main candidates for the 2027 scudetto against each other.

If Inter started its season with two victories, synonymous with 2nd place, Napoli is in a modest 10th place (3 pts) after its defeat at home against the ambitious Como (2-1) last weekend.

Very active during the transfer window in the hope of regaining their past glory, Juventus (4th) and AC Milan (3rd), authors for the moment of a flawless performance, meet on Sunday (8:45 p.m.) in Turin for the 215th edition of their duel which has lost a little of its spice.

Impressive leader with six points, eight goals scored and zero conceded, AS Rome passes its first major test on Saturday (8:45 p.m.) against Atalanta Bergamo (5th, 6 pts), former club of its coach Gian Piero Gasperini.

. Germany: Bayern to confirm against Schalke 04

Winner of Stuttgart 5 to 1 at the opening of the Bundesliga, Bayern has already settled into its chair as leader of the championship, which it has not left since September 14, 2024, on the evening of the 3rd day of the 2024/25 financial year.

Vincent Kompany's men travel to Gelsenkirchen on Saturday (6:30 p.m.) to face promoted Schalke 04, with Michael Olise already in great form at the start of the season - three goals and an assist in three games. And Bayern has not lost since March 2, 2011 against Schalke 04 (22 wins and 3 draws).

Also victorious in their first championship match, RB Leipzig and Borussia Dortmund travel to Bremen and Hoffenheim on Saturday (3:30 p.m.) respectively, to confirm before launching their European campaign in the Champions League.

On the other hand, Carles Martinez Novell's Bayer Leverkusen fell from the start on the pitch of promoted Elversberg (3-2) and must immediately react in their BayArena against Union Berlin.

. Spain: first test for Real

Already launched into a mano a mano at the top of La Liga, the Spanish giants, FC Barcelona, ​​double reigning champion, and José Mourinho's Real Madrid 2.0, both want to continue their perfect start to the season with a fourth victory in four days.

The Madrid club, tied for second on points with its Catalan rival, will open the ball on Friday (9 p.m.) on the pitch of Betis Sevilla (7th). A trip that is always complicated to approach despite the heavy defeat of Manuel Pellegrini's men last week against Levante (5-2).

Barça will travel to Valencia (17th) on Sunday (4:15 p.m.), already in difficulty and looking for its first victory of the season, while Atlético Madrid (3rd) will challenge Athletic Bilbao (12th) in San Mamés on Saturday (4:15 p.m.) in the shock of this fourth day.

The Colchoneros, who finally managed to retain their star striker Julian Alvarez, back in the rojiblanco group after his aborted transfer to Barça, could field their new Canadian recruit Jonathan David, ex-Lille scorer, for the first time.

The Brazilian Gabriel Jesus, new Barcelona number 9, arrived in the last hours of the transfer window, could also make his debut in the Blaugrana jersey.

© 2026 AFP

The content you are trying to access does not exist or is no longer available.