6 of the Most Action-Packed Games From This Weekend's Football
The final round of fixtures across Europe before the dreaded international break have been very kind to us, with a whole host of action blessing us before we bid our club teams farewell for two whole weeks.
We've seen red cards, debut goals, own goals as well as plenty of strikes at the right end of the pitch, as some of the world's finest players have brought their A games to the weekend's matches.
It must be your lucky day, because you're about to be treated even more. We've filtered through all the action to bring you only the best games from the weekend's football around Europe's top five leagues, hand picked for your consumption.
Enjoy...
Nimes 2-4 Paris Saint-Germain
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Where to start? Paris Saint-Germain's visit to Nimes this weekend provided an absolute cracker of a football match for everyone involved, with plenty of talking points coming out of the Parisians' fourth straight Ligue 1 win.
Neymar and Angel Di Maria starting the scoring spree in the 36th and 40th minutes respectively, with the Brazilian's opener prompting a celebration mocking the Nimes fans' banner calling the 26-year-old a crybaby.
The plucky home side hit back, however, in emphatic fashion by scoring twice in eight second half minutes to equalise. Quality prevailed just six minutes later as Kylian Mbappe restored his side's lead before Edinson Cavani sealed the win in stoppage time.
There was late drama, however, as Mbappe and Teji Savanier became embroiled in an altercation which saw both players receive their marching orders. And breathe....
Cardiff 2-3 Arsenal
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The Gunners looked like strolling to their first away win of the season under new boss Unai Emery when Shkodran Mustafi nodded in during the first half.
Things are never as easy as they seem for Arsenal though, and just a minute before half time, Cardiff were level through new signing Victor Camarasa after he bagged his first Bluebirds goal.
From then on, especially with Petr Cech continuing to put his already shaky backline in trouble through sloppy passing, Cardiff looked on top. The class of Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang shone through, however, as Arsenal went ahead via the latter's strike.
Amazingly, Cardiff equalised through Danny Ward's header; you would've bet on them getting the next goal. Nevertheless, Arsenal new boy Lucas Torreira's introduction settled things, and it was his pass that set up Lacazette for the Frenchman's thumping winner.
Real Madrid 4-1 Leganes
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The Santiago Bernabeu witnessed a goal fest as Julen Lopetegui continues to take Real Madrid forward after the departures of both Zinedine Zidane and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Gareth Bale, expected to lead Los Blancos after Ronaldo's move, opened the scoring with a well executed volley that just bounced over the line. Surprisingly, Leganes hit back just six minutes later through Guido Carrillo from 12 yards.
From then on, however, there was only one side in it. Karim Benzema recorded a 13-minute brace with two predatory strikes, before Sergio Ramos put the icing on the cake from the penalty spot.
Bologna 0-3 Inter
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Luciano Spalletti's Inter recorded their first win of the season against Bologna this weekend, and in impressive fashion it must be said.
The Nerazzurri faithful were concerned after seeing their side earn just one point from their first two Serie A games, but things were put right after summer signing Radja Nianggolan opened his account for the club.
His goal was the first of three second half strikes, with Antonio Candreava and Ivan Perisic adding the second and third respectively to kick start Inter's season.
Eintracht Frankfurt 1-2 Werder Bremen
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There was drama in the Bundesliga this weekend, most notably at the Commerzbank Arena.
Yuya Osako gave the away side the lead in the 20th minute, before Eintracht Frankfurt full-back Jetro Willems received a straight red card in the 32nd minute for an elbow to the head of Gebre Selassie.
Defiantly, the 10 men of Frankfurt stood firm and bagged an equaliser in the 54th minute thanks to Sebastien Haller's spot kick.
Frankfurt looked to have impressively held on for a point before Milot Rashica snatched all three points for his side with a dramatic 96th minute winner.
Strasbourg 2-3 Nantes
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Ligue 1 threw up another classic this weekend as Strasbourg and Nantes played out a five-goal thriller at the Stade de la Meinau.
The home side took the lead in the 21st minute through Ludovic Ajorque, which seemed to anger Nantes if their response was anything to go by.
In eye catching fashion, the visitors hit three goals unanswered to take the game by the scruff of the neck and lead 3-1 just 25 minutes after the opener.
Nuno da Costa bagged in the 81st minute to spark a late fightback, but to no avail.
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