European Football Saturday Review: Bayern Dominate Again As De Bruyne’s Injury Mars Napoli’s Win Over Inter

‎Bayern Munich maintained their flawless start to the 2025/26 campaign with a 3-0 win over a valiant but short-handed Borussia Mönchengladbach side.

‎Napoli, Borussia Dortmund, and Paris Saint-Germain also claimed vital victories in another action-packed weekend across Europe’s top leagues.

‎Bayern Munich Breaks Down Ten-Man Gladbach to Stay Perfect

‎It took Bayern Munich more than an hour to find its rhythm, but once it did, it proved unstoppable. The Bundesliga leaders eventually broke through the resistance of a stubborn Borussia Mönchengladbach to secure a 3-0 win their 13th consecutive victory in all competitions this season.

‎Joshua Kimmich opened the scoring in the 64th minute, calmly slotting home from inside a crowded penalty area after Bayern had dominated possession without reward.

‎Substitute Raphaël Guerreiro doubled the lead five minutes later, before teenage sensation Lennart Karl, who had scored in midweek against Club Brugge in the Champions League, sealed the victory with a composed finish into the top corner.

‎Despite the scoreline, it wasn’t all smooth sailing for Bayern. They were nearly ahead inside the opening minute when Luis Díaz, played through by Harry Kane after a slick move involving Nicolas Jackson, fired narrowly wide.

‎Gladbach’s evening took a disastrous turn in the 18th minute when Jens Castrop was shown a straight red card for a reckless studs-up challenge, forcing the hosts to defend with 10 men for over 70 minutes.

‎Even with their numerical advantage, Bayern struggled to create clear chances in the first half registering their first effort on target only in the 43rd minute through Kane.

‎However, the second half saw relentless pressure, and once Kimmich broke the deadlock, there was no way back for Gladbach.

‎Kevin Stöger could have given Gladbach hope, but his 75th-minute penalty struck the post. The defeat extended the Foals’ winless streak to 15 Bundesliga games, a club record, leaving them rooted to the bottom of the table.

‎Bayern, meanwhile, remain five points clear of second-placed RB Leipzig, who thrashed Augsburg 6-0 earlier in the day, and have now scored a record 30 goals from just eight league matches.

‎Beier the Hero as Dortmund Leave It Late Against Cologne

‎Elsewhere in Germany, Borussia Dortmund snatched a dramatic 1-0 win away to Cologne, thanks to Maximilian Beier’s stoppage-time strike.

‎In a tight encounter filled with missed chances and heroic goalkeeping, Cologne’s Marvin Schwaebe was the standout performer, pulling off several outstanding saves to deny Karim Adeyemi and Serhou Guirassy in the first half.

‎However, Dortmund’s persistence finally paid off deep into added time. Cologne was reduced to 10 men after Timo Hübers was stretchered off following the use of all substitutes.

‎Beier’s deflected shot in the 96th minute found the net, sending the away fans into delirium.

‎The victory kept Dortmund within touching distance of the top two and provided a much-needed morale boost after a string of frustrating draws.

‎Napoli Sink Inter as De Bruyne Shines

‎In Italy, Napoli continued their strong Serie A campaign with an impressive 3-1 home victory over Inter Milan, though the night was overshadowed by an injury to Kevin De Bruyne.

‎De Bruyne opened the scoring from the penalty spot after Henrikh Mkhitaryan conceded a spot-kick on the half-hour mark. Moments later, the Belgian playmaker appeared to clutch his right thigh and was forced off, later seen on crutches a worrying sight for Napoli fans.

‎Despite losing their talisman, Napoli showed resilience. Scott McTominay doubled their lead early in the second half, finishing a long pass from Leonardo Spinazzola with precision.

‎Inter responded through Hakan Çalhanoğlu’s penalty in the 59th minute, but André-Frank Zambo Anguissa restored Napoli’s two-goal cushion with a stunning solo effort, sealing a vital three points.

‎The victory lifted Napoli above AC Milan to the top of Serie A, continuing their superb domestic form even amid a growing injury list that already includes Rasmus Højlund, Stanislav Lobotka, and Alex Meret.

‎After the match, McTominay admitted his goal came under unusual circumstances, “I lost the ball in the lights, so the pass took me by surprise. The lights are so bright I couldn’t see it then I just thought to shoot.

‎”Leo [Spinazzola] is a top player; he’s been delivering all season,” the midfielder told DAZN.

‎In the late Serie A fixture, Jamie Vardy netted his first goal for Cremonese in the 78th minute against Atalanta, but Marco Brescianini equalized late to deny them a famous win.

‎Hakimi Double Inspires PSG to Cruise Past Brest

‎In France, Achraf Hakimi starred as Paris Saint-Germain cruised to a comfortable 3-0 victory over Brest at the Parc des Princes.

‎The Moroccan full-back opened the scoring in the 29th minute with a perfectly timed volley and added a second ten minutes later after being set up by Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, who continues to impress since his move to the French capital. Désiré Doué rounded off the win with a composed finish in stoppage time.

‎The victory solidified PSG’s position at the top of Ligue 1 and extended their unbeaten run to nine matches in all competitions.