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Predictable Wins and Unexpected Losses Highlight European Football's Opening Weekend
18 Aug
Summary
- Premier League teams favored to win, did win
- Manchester United lost to Arsenal in a surprise result
- PSG survived a scare, Barcelona still excellent
As of August 18th, 2025, the opening weekend of European football has been a mixed bag, with the majority of results being largely predictable.
In the Premier League, the teams that were expected to win did, in fact, win. However, there was one notable exception - Manchester United, who lost to Arsenal in a surprising result, thanks to a free kick.
Across the continent, the story was similar. French champions Paris Saint-Germain survived a scare, while Spanish giants Barcelona demonstrated that they are still an excellent team. Meanwhile, Atletico Madrid's manager, Diego Simeone, faced criticism for his tactics, with some suggesting he should stick to working with stocky Spanish midfielders rather than trying to implement a more finesse-based approach.
The real action, it seems, happened a little below the surface, lurking in the shallows and on the edge of the spotlight. While the top teams largely delivered expected results, there were still some intriguing storylines and unexpected moments that unfolded over the opening weekend of European football.
