Barcelona's message to Real: 5-0 without shifting into second gear

The title defence in La Liga began the way Barcelona likes to begin - without effort. 5-0 against Elche, Raphinha won the penalty himself and converted it, then set up debutant Karim Adeyemi for the second before half time. Anthony Gordon came off the bench and made two more. Fermin Lopez, who missed the World Cup through injury, finished the job with the fifth. Elche hit the post in the 68th minute and that was that. In the same round Real Madrid laboured to 2-1 against Espanyol, and Atletico only drew 2-2 with Villarreal. Barcelona have won three of the last four titles and have not yet opened up - Lamine Yamal is not in form at all.

Man City is paying 100 million euros for an eighteen-year-old

Manchester City has agreed with Lille for Ayyoub Bouaddi - 95 million euros plus five in bonuses, a five-year deal with an option for one more. The boy is eighteen. Lille wanted to keep him another season but gave way. City had to find a replacement for Rodri, and settled on a player who played higher up the pitch in Ligue 1 and who only announced himself at the World Cup with Morocco, playing deeper. That is a bet, not the purchase of a ready-made solution. New manager Enzo Maresca, who inherited the bench after Guardiola's departure, is bringing him into a side that has already lost the Community Shield to Arsenal. A hundred million euros for an eighteen-year-old talent - and then everyone will be surprised when he does not play like a Ballon d'Or winner.

Martinelli heading for Saudi Arabia, Arsenal wants 60 million pounds

Al Hilal is in talks with Arsenal over Gabriel Martinelli, and the Brazilian, according to The Athletic, is open to the move. The Londoners want around 60 million pounds, and there is no deal yet. What is interesting is that the same player turned down Galatasaray earlier this summer - Turkey was not attractive enough, Saudi Arabia evidently is. Martinelli has 278 appearances for Arsenal since 2019, 62 goals and 36 assists, and his contract runs out in June 2027 with an option for another twelve months. Since the arrival of Christos Tzolis his minutes have been shrinking. When a career comes down to the question of which league pays more, that is no longer a transfer but a calculation.

Shkendija and Struga TL in a derby at the FFM ground, Vardar fighting relegation

The fourth round in the Macedonian top flight brings two derbies today, both in Skopje. First at 17:00 at the Arena - Vardar against Sileks, and the country's most decorated club is in the relegation zone, a sentence that by itself says everything about the state of things. Then at 19:00 at the FFM ground, Shkendija against Struga Trim Lum. Tetovo's side are the only ones with a maximum three from three, Struga have seven points from two wins and a draw. Teams that have won the title three times in the last four seasons. Shkendija go in with problems - Gaye, Gjorgjievski, Freitas, Dimoski and Melici are out, sporting director Ardijan Cuculi is no longer at the club, but Jovan Manev returns. The referee is Stojance Trpcevski.

The women's league opened with seven: Tiverija Brera 7-0, champions Skopje 4-0

While everyone looks at the men's league, the opening round of the women's championship produced a scoreline the men's clubs can only dream of. Tiverija Brera tore Pelister Pro apart 7-0 - Teona Golabovska scored a hat-trick, Biljana Paneska a brace. Champions Skopje beat Kocani 4-0 through Todorova, Kolarovska, Dervishi and Paneva, all four goals in the first half. Ljuboten won 4-1 against Kamenica Sasa, and in the city derby Istatov beat Vardar 2-1, with a goal from Radica Coneva in the 53rd minute. Recica and As United shared the points. Five matches, twenty-one goals - and how many of them will be shown on television?