European soccer is back, with the English Premier League, Spanish LaLiga, and French Ligue 1 all beginning this weekend. We also had a first look at Bayern Munich in the German Super Cup vs. RB Leipzig, with the German Bundesliga and Italian Serie A set to resume next weekend.
So let’s get into it: with a full menu of games, here are your talking points, great goals and all the news from a wonderful Saturday in the big European leagues.
– Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.)
The lead: Olmo overshadows Kane’s Bayern bow
On the day that Bayern presented Harry Kane as their blockbuster signing, the stage was set for the longtime England captain to make his debut at the Allianz Arena in the German Supercup against last season’s German Cup winners, RB Leipzig. The man who stole the show, though, was Leipzig playmaker Dani Olmo, who scored all three goals in the Red Bull-backed club’s 3-0 win over Bayern.
With Dominik Szoboszlai and Christopher Nkunku having left for Liverpool and Chelsea, respectively, Olmo more than ever is the creative mastermind of the team. The game on Saturday showed once again that the Spain international can be a clinical goal scorer and make his presence felt everywhere on the pitch. Olmo’s endurance and energy level is almost unparalleled in European football, and no one from Bayern was able to contain the 25-year-old until Leipzig manager Marco Rose subbed him off in the 78th minute.
Fifteen minutes before Olmo exited stage left, Kane stepped into the spotlight, when Thomas Tuchel brought him to replace Mathys Tel. It was clear from the minute Kane entered that his new teammates wanted to get him involved.
Valencia are many LaLiga watchers’ picks for relegation candidates this season, after another summer that has seen the squad weakened — with Yunus Musah and Edinson Cavani leaving, and Samuel Lino‘s loan coming to an end — and few new recruits coming in. Coach Ruben Baraja has been vocal about the need for reinforcements.
In the meantime, though, he’s been forced to rely on the same youngsters who saved Valencia last season, academy products who Baraja bravely brought into the side in a gamble that paid off when they avoided the drop on the last day of the campaign.
On Friday, it was midfielder Javi Guerra, 20, who scored the decisive 88th-minute goal in a 2-1 win at Sevilla. He was a second-half substitute, while the starting lineup also included Diego López (21) and Fran Pérez (20), with Pablo Gozalbez (22) and Jesús Vázquez (20) also introduced off the bench.
This reliance on homegrown talent is a necessity more than a choice, given the limited squad at Baraja’s disposal, but Guerra in particular looks to be a serious player in the making. His previous career highlight was scoring a crucial 90th-minute winner against relegation rivals Real Valladolid in April. Now he’s got another for his collection, a well-taken near-post finish that gave Valencia all three points at the Sanchez Pizjuan.
Baraja will just be hoping that an opening day win won’t be taken by absentee owner Peter Lim as a signal that no signings are needed, after all. — Kirkland
And finally….
NFL legend Tom Brady recently announced his co-ownership of Championship club Birmingham City, and flew in on Saturday to watch his team defeat Leeds United 1-0 on their first home match of the season. On his way to the match, Brady posted on X “Any plans before kick off guys?”
His plans included a cameo at a pub, where he surprised BCFC fans, who will hope their club can enjoy a bit of the success that Brady achieved as an all-time NFL great.
Tom Brady at a pub in Birmingham ahead of BCFC’s game against Leeds is something I never thought I’d write pic.twitter.com/H5M8phzBhw
— Luis Miguel Echegaray (@lmechegaray) August 12, 2023
