Nightmare start for Conte at Napoli as Mallorca spoil Mbappé's La Liga debut
Aug 20, 2024
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James Horncastle, a savvy European football journalist, and Julien Laurens, an expert in French football, share thrilling insights on the tumultuous start of Antonio Conte at Napoli, where they suffered a shocking 3-0 defeat to Verona. Kylian Mbappé's La Liga debut with PSG falls flat as they draw 1-1 against Mallorca, while Barcelona starts strong under new coaching. Plus, catch the excitement from the German Super Cup, where Xabi Alonso's Leverkusen snatched victory in dramatic fashion.
Xabi Alonso's Bayer Leverkusen clinched the German Super Cup with a thrilling late equalizer, signaling a competitive Bundesliga season ahead.
Kylian Mbappé faced a challenging La Liga debut as Mallorca held PSG to a draw, raising questions about the team's performance.
Antonio Conte's Napoli suffered a disheartening 3-0 loss against Verona, marking a turbulent start to his tenure in Serie A.
Deep dives
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Highlighting Talented Young Athletes
The youth football scene is buzzing with promising talent, as highlighted by the debut of 16-year-old Ibrahim at PSG, who became the youngest player in the club's history to start a league match. This moment underscores the growing trend of young players making significant contributions on prominent teams. Similarly, in Germany's DFB-Pokal, Werder Bremen's Kebekus scored a remarkable hat trick on his debut, showing the potential of young talent in professional football. These instances reflect the shift towards integrating younger players into top-tier football clubs.
Intense Competitions in European Football
The European football landscape is filled with thrilling competitions, evidenced by Bayer Leverkusen's recent win in the German Super Cup. The match against Stuttgart displayed heightened emotions and fierce rivalries, demonstrating that this season will have significant stakes. The intensity of their performance showcases Bayer’s determination to maintain their unbeatable aura despite the challenges ahead in the Bundesliga and Champions League. As the competition heats up, it becomes essential for teams to navigate the pressures of being at the top while aiming to secure trophies.
Emerging Stories in La Liga
La Liga's opening matches set the stage for exciting narratives, especially with Barcelona's come-from-behind victory against Valencia, where Robert Lewandowski shined with a brace. Youngsters coming through La Masia are vital for Barcelona's future, reflecting the club's reliance on emerging talent amidst shifts in their squad. Real Madrid's performance against Mallorca raised questions around their coherence and tactical balance, as they plan to refine strategies moving forward this season. The thrilling start to La Liga indicates a promising journey ahead for both established stars and rising players.
Jimbo, James Horncastle and Julien Laurens are with you to round up a busy first weekend of domestic action across the continent.
Laterkusen strike again as Xabi Alonso's side needed an 88th-minute equaliser to force a penalty shootout before going on to win the German Super Cup against Stuttgart. Seb Stafford Bloor brings us the story plus the latest from across Germany.
Kylian Mbappé’s start to life in La Liga didn’t quite go to plan as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Mallorca while Barcelona got off to winning ways under Hansi Flick. Pol Ballus joins us from Spain.
Meanwhile, Antonio Conte made a nightmare start to his time at Napoli in a 3-0 humbling by Verona - and Inter became the first Serie A champions to fail to win on the opening day of the next season since 2015 after conceding an injury-time equaliser to draw 2-2 with Genoa.
Plus, Roberto De Zerbi’s Marseille well and truly announced themselves with a 5-1 battering of Brest. They heard our calls for a proper title race last week…
Produced by Lucy Oliva.
RUNNING ORDER:
• PART 1: Hello and moments of the week (00.45)
• PART 2: German Super Cup review - plus a look ahead to the opening weekend of Bundesliga action (06.15)
• PART 3: Serie A review - Conte's Napoli stunned as Juve start brightly (15.45)
• PART 4: Ligue 1 review - Big wins for PSG and Marseille (27.55)
• PART 5: La Liga review - Barcelona off to winning ways while Real and Atléti drop points (38.25)