This Week in Football: European Giants to Face Off; Tottenham Win a Game of Football!

Tottenham finally have a win

20 Oct 2026·5 min read·by Taj Soupidis

Photo: Getty Images


It has been another big week in world football, with drama across Europe's top five leagues, the return of the UEFA Champions League, a statement start to the new A-League season and major stories emerging from FIFA.

Tottenham finally ended their wait for a Premier League victory, Barcelona produced an attacking masterclass in Spain, Bayern Munich recorded a huge win in Germany and Paris Saint-Germain continued their strong domestic form.

Meanwhile, Australian football had plenty to celebrate, with the Junior Matildas earning a historic point at the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup and the ParaMatildas finishing their group stage in emphatic fashion.

Here's everything you need to know from the past week in football.


Premier League: Tottenham finally get off the mark


Tottenham Hotspur finally secured their first Premier League win of the season, defeating Coventry City 3-1 on Monday to end a difficult start to their campaign.

James Maddison marked his return to the starting lineup with the opening goal, while Omar Marmoush and Ben Davies also found the net as Spurs moved off the bottom of the table. The result provides some much-needed relief, although consistency will be the next challenge.

Elsewhere, Arsenal picked up a 1-0 win away to Nottingham Forest, while Brighton delivered one of the weekend's biggest results with a dominant 5-0 victory over Crystal Palace.

Liverpool also claimed a 2-1 away win over Brentford, and Chelsea defeated Everton 2-0. Manchester City edged Ipswich Town 3-2 in another entertaining encounter.


La Liga: Barcelona send another warning shot


Barcelona were among the standout performers of the weekend, beating Real Betis 5-2 in an entertaining contest.

The result highlighted Barcelona's attacking quality, although conceding twice will give their coaching staff something to review.

Atlético Madrid also picked up a valuable 1-0 away victory against Espanyol, while Villarreal and Elche played out a goalless draw.

Monday's action saw Getafe and Rayo Vallecano share the points in a 1-1 draw.

With the season still developing, the race at the top remains one to watch. Barcelona's ability to turn matches into high-scoring affairs could prove important as the schedule becomes more demanding.


Serie A: Lazio stun Juventus


One of the biggest Italian results came as Lazio defeated Juventus 3-0, delivering a significant statement against one of the country's most recognisable clubs.

AC Milan were also involved in a thriller, beating Atalanta 3-2 in a match that provided plenty of entertainment.

Monday brought further action, with Torino recording a 3-0 away win over Parma and Monza producing a convincing 4-0 victory against Cagliari.

The results underline how quickly the Serie A picture can change, with big clubs needing to avoid costly slip-ups if they want to remain in the title conversation.


Bundesliga: Bayern Munich run riot


Bayern Munich produced one of the most eye-catching results of the weekend, dismantling RB Leipzig 6-1.

The emphatic victory demonstrated Bayern's attacking depth and sent a clear message to their domestic rivals. Bayer Leverkusen also secured a 2-1 win over Freiburg, while Hoffenheim defeated Borussia Mönchengladbach 1-0.

Elsewhere, Hamburg beat Stuttgart 1-0, Borussia Dortmund were held to a goalless draw by Union Berlin and Mainz claimed a 1-0 victory over Schalke.

Bayern's result will inevitably draw attention, with the German giants once again showing just how dangerous they can be when their attack clicks.


Ligue 1: PSG fight back to claim victory


Paris Saint-Germain maintained their strong form with a 3-1 comeback victory over Strasbourg.

Strasbourg took the lead through Gio Reyna, and PSG's Ousmane Dembélé missed a penalty before helping turn the match around. Ilya Zabarnyi equalised, Dembélé then scored and Désiré Doué added a late third.

PSG's victory moved them to the top of the Ligue 1 table on goal difference, with 14 points from seven matches.

Marseille also enjoyed a productive weekend, beating Angers 5-2, while Lyon defeated Nice 2-1. Paris FC edged Rennes 4-3 in a high-scoring encounter, and Lorient claimed a 1-0 win over Monaco.


Champions League: Europe's elite return


The UEFA Champions League takes centre stage this week, with a series of major fixtures scheduled across Tuesday and Wednesday.

Some of the biggest matchups include:

Paris Saint-Germain vs Barcelona — A blockbuster meeting between two of Europe's leading clubs.

Bayern Munich vs Arsenal — A heavyweight clash between two sides with major ambitions.

Inter Milan, Atlético Madrid, Manchester United and other major sides are also involved in this week's European schedule.

These matches offer an early indication of which teams are finding their rhythm in continental competition. With domestic football already demanding, managing squad rotation and injuries will be just as important as results.


Australian football: Junior Matildas make history


There was plenty happening on the Australian football front, with encouraging results across the national teams and domestic game.

The Junior Matildas drew 1-1 with Chile in their FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup opener in Morocco.

Charlotte Bradshaw scored Australia's equaliser in the second half, cancelling out Kiara Concha's opener and securing a share of the points in Group F. It was a valuable result for the young Australians as they begin their tournament campaign.


ParaMatildas finish the group stage with a 13-0 win


The ParaMatildas produced an extraordinary performance, defeating the Netherlands 13-0 to finish the group stage of the IFCPF Women's World Cup on a high.

The result was a major statement from the Australian side and a highlight for the national program.


Global football: FIFA faces fresh scrutiny


UEFA has called on FIFA to release documents and provide answers about a range of governance and commercial issues, including a proposed sale of part of FIFA's commercial rights.

The dispute reflects growing tension over transparency and decision-making within world football's governing structures. UEFA has requested substantive responses by 2 November, adding another significant governance story to the international football calendar.


FIFA suspends Egypt coach and forward


FIFA has suspended Egypt coach Hossam Hassan for three matches and forward Mostafa Zico for five matches following incidents connected to Egypt's World Cup defeat to Argentina.

Egypt's national team director Ibrahim Hassan was also suspended for three matches. The Egyptian Football Association has requested further details from FIFA and is considering its options.

The sanctions could have implications for Egypt's upcoming international fixtures and have renewed debate about how players and coaches respond publicly to refereeing decisions.

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