Under the floodlights of the Etihad, the air felt heavy with expectation. Manchester City and Manchester United lined up for another chapter of their storied rivalry.
From the first whistle, City looked like a side on a mission. Phil Foden’s perfectly timed header, after a darting run from Jeremy Doku, set the tone inside twenty minutes. United tried to settle, but their attempts were swallowed by the home side’s relentless pressing.
Early in the second half, Erling Haaland pounced — first with a cheeky chip over the goalkeeper, then with an emphatic finish after capitalising on a loose ball. By the 70th minute, the outcome was inevitable: City 3, United 0. Donnarumma’s late saves only underlined City’s dominance as the Etihad sang in celebration.
Miles away, in Catalonia, Barcelona staged a spectacle of their own. Valencia arrived hoping to spoil Barça’s homecoming, but the hosts were in a merciless mood. Fermín López curled in a beauty from distance; Raphinha’s volley drew roars; and Lewandowski, ever the predator, struck twice from inside the box. By full-time it was Barcelona 6-0 Valencia, a scoreline that echoed through La Liga as a warning: Flick’s men are very much alive in the title race.
Elsewhere across Europe, the drama continued:
- In the Bundesliga, Bayern Munich steamrolled Hamburg 5-0, Harry Kane bagging a double as Bayern flexed their early-season authority.
- Italy delivered chaos in the Derby d’Italia: Juventus edged Inter 4-3 in a thriller settled by Vasilije Adzic deep in stoppage time.
- Ligue 1 offered quieter stories — PSG calmly beat Lens 2-0, while Rennes took down Lyon 3-1.
✍️
Yesterday felt like one of those rare football days when the continent hummed in unison. The Manchester derby was the headline act — a reminder of how dominant City can be when everything clicks. Barcelona, meanwhile, wrote their own joyful script in Spain, while Bayern, Juve, and PSG played their parts on supporting stages.
For fans, it was a feast: from Manchester’s roar to Barcelona’s fireworks, European football showed again why it’s the game we can’t stop talking about.