European Leagues: Records Tumble as Elite Clubs Navigate Testing Weekend

The weekend of 7-9 November 2025 witnessed the shattering of historic streaks, title race twists, and memorable performances across the European Leagues, providing compelling narrative shifts as the season approached its critical phase. The European Leagues delivered drama and controversy in equal measure, with several long-standing records finally coming to an end.

 

Premier League: Arsenal’s Invincibility Ends at the Stadium of Light

Arsenal’s remarkable defensive fortress finally crumbled at Sunderland on Saturday, as their historic eight-match clean sheet run, which had equalled a 122-year-old club record dating back to 1903, came to an end in a dramatic 2-2 draw. Dan Ballard, a former Arsenal academy defender, opened the scoring in the 36th minute with an excellent finish, ending David Raya’s 812-minute sequence without conceding.

The Gunners demonstrated characteristic resilience after going on a perfect run through October and seeking a ninth consecutive clean sheet to establish a new English football record. Bukayo Saka equalised in the 54th minute after Declan Rice’s superb press, before Leandro Trossard’s rocket into the top corner seemingly won it in the 74th minute. However, Brian Brobbey’s 94th-minute equaliser snatched a point for the hosts after Ballard’s flick-on found the substitute to hook in a dramatic late leveller.

Manager Mikel Arteta admitted he felt “a pain in my tummy” watching his team’s defensive record shattered. However, Arsenal remained six points clear at the top of the table before Sunday’s action.

That lead was trimmed to four points as Manchester City celebrated Pep Guardiola’s 1,000th match as a manager in style with a convincing 3-0 victory over Liverpool at the Etihad Stadium. Erling Haaland opened the scoring with his 99th Premier League goal after 29 minutes with a soaring header from Matheus Nunes’ cross, having earlier missed a penalty save by Giorgi Mamardashvili.

Nico González’s deflected long-range strike took a wicked deflection off Virgil van Dijk in first-half stoppage time to double City’s advantage. The outstanding Jérémy Doku, who tormented Liverpool right-back Conor Bradley throughout, added a sublime third on his 100th appearance for the club with a stunning curled effort from distance in the 63rd minute.

Liverpool thought they had equalised when Van Dijk planted a header inside the post from a corner. Still, his effort was ruled out for an offside against Andrew Robertson on the line, in a controversial decision that left manager Arne Slot frustrated. The defeat represented Liverpool’s fifth loss in six league games, leaving them eight points adrift of Arsenal.

Elsewhere in the Premier League, Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United played out a dramatic 2-2 draw in north London, with Matthijs de Ligt’s 96th-minute equaliser cancelling out what had seemed to be a 91st-minute winner from Richarlison. The English top flight continues to provide the most unpredictable storylines among the European leagues.

 

Bundesliga: Bayern’s Perfection Finally Punctured

Bayern Munich’s extraordinary record-breaking start to the season came to an end at Union Berlin, where Dutch defender Danilho Doekhi struck twice to hold the Bavarian powerhouse to a 2-2 draw, ending Bayern’s record 16-game winning streak in all competitions.

The Union continued to dominate and deservedly went ahead in the 27th when Janik Haberer surprised the Bayern defence with a low corner and Doekhi swept the ball past Manuel Neuer. Luis Díaz levelled in the 38th after a slide and turn to keep the ball in play and then surging past Haberer before firing past Frederik Rönnow from a seemingly impossible angle.

Union remained competitive after the break, frustrating Bayern’s stars before Doekhi struck for the home team in the 83rd minute, stopping Harry Kane’s attempted headed clearance with his thigh before prodding the ball past Neuer. Kane atoned with a late equaliser in the third minute of stoppage time, salvaging a point but denying Bayern the chance to match their Bundesliga-record 10-game winning start from 2015.

Vincent Kompany remained philosophical, stating, “We won a point today. At Bayern, you always lose two points when you don’t win, but still, the 92nd-minute equaliser, the mentality, and Leipzig lost.” Indeed, Bayern’s closest challengers, RB Leipzig, suffered a setback of their own, losing 3-1 to Hoffenheim, which ended their eight-game unbeaten run. The Bundesliga remains one of the most competitive European leagues this season.

Japan international Ritsu Doan struck late to seal Eintracht Frankfurt’s narrow 1-0 victory over FSV Mainz 05 in their Rhine-Main Derby on Sunday, whilst Germany forward Deniz Undav scored two goals as Stuttgart twice came from behind to beat Augsburg 3-2 at home. Bayer Leverkusen continued their resurgence with a commanding 6-0 demolition of Heidenheim, scoring five in the first half alone.

 

La Liga: Lewandowski Hat-Trick Keeps Barcelona in Touch

Barcelona secured a 4-2 victory against Celta Vigo on Matchday 12, with Robert Lewandowski scoring a hat-trick to advance the Catalan club within three points of the league leaders. Sergio Carreira and Borja Iglesias scored for Celta, whilst Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong received a second yellow card, resulting in his sending off during second-half stoppage time.

The victory proved crucial as Real Madrid’s attack struggled to find the net against Rayo Vallecano, being held to a 0-0 draw, their second consecutive setback after a 1-0 defeat at Liverpool in midweek. Madrid had scored in every match this season until their Champions League loss to Liverpool, making the goalless draw doubly frustrating for Carlo Ancelotti’s side.

Villarreal secured a 2-0 victory at Espanyol on Saturday, marking their third consecutive league win to maintain third place, five points adrift of Madrid. Atletico Madrid defeated Levante 3-1 at home on Saturday, sitting in fourth place, six points behind the leaders.

 

Serie A: Inter Move Top with Controlled Victory

Inter Milan moved to the top of Serie A after goals from Lautaro Martínez and Ange-Yoan Bonny secured a 2-0 win over Lazio at San Siro. The Nerazzurri swept into a third-minute lead when Alessandro Bastoni won the ball off Gustav Isaksen on the left and fed Martínez, who lashed the ball into the top far corner past a stunned Lazio goalkeeper, Ivan Provedel.

Inter doubled their lead following a sweeping move in the 61st minute, as Federico Dimarco laid it on a plate for Bonny to turn into an empty net from yards out. Lazio attempted a late fightback with Mario Gila rising high, only for his header to hit the underside of the bar and bounce away from the goal line, before Yann Sommer made a smothering save to deny Luca Pellegrini late on.

Martínez had gone four consecutive games without scoring, but he got back on the scoresheet against Lazio, against whom he now has seven career goals. Cristian Chivu’s side head into the international break atop the standings on goal difference from Roma, following their third straight league win.

 

Talking Points

Defensive Records Under Scrutiny: Arsenal’s clean sheet streak dominated headlines throughout October, and whilst its end arrived in controversial circumstances at Sunderland, the Gunners demonstrated the mental fortitude of champions by twice recovering from deficits. The question now centres on whether conceding will become habitual or merely an aberration in the title charge.

Bayern’s Aura of Invincibility Shattered: More significant than the dropped points themselves was the manner in which Union Berlin dismantled Bayern’s psychological advantage. Set-piece vulnerabilities exposed by Doekhi’s brace, with both goals originating from dead-ball situations, provide a blueprint for opponents to exploit. Manuel Neuer’s uncharacteristic errors compounded concerns about fatigue following their exertions in the Champions League against Paris Saint-Germain.

City’s Ominous Form: Guardiola’s 1,000th match as a manager produced perhaps his most complete performance of the season. Doku’s dazzling display, combined with the relentless pressing that characterised their best football, suggests City is peaking at precisely the right moment. Liverpool’s struggles, five defeats in six league matches, transformed what appeared to be a three-horse title race into a two-team affair between Arsenal and City.

La Liga’s Tactical Chess Match: Barcelona’s ability to grind out results despite defensive fragility – they conceded twice at Celta, despite dominating possession – contrasts sharply with Real Madrid, which is currently experiencing a goal drought. With Kylian Mbappé’s integration still incomplete and Vinícius Júnior struggling for consistency, Madrid’s attacking fluency has evaporated. Barcelona’s three-point deficit appears manageable given their superior momentum.

Inter’s Italian Job: Inter’s patient, controlled football under Chivu, represents classic Italian football reimagined for the modern era. Their ability to shut down games after establishing early leads, demonstrated again against Lazio, makes them formidable opponents. With Roma their closest challengers, Inter appear well-positioned for a sustained title challenge.

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Looking Ahead

The international break arrives at a pivotal moment. Arsenal must regroup psychologically after their clean sheet run ended, whilst City will seek to maintain momentum despite the fortnight’s interruption. Bayern face scrutiny over their defensive organisation from set pieces, while Barcelona need to address their defensive fragility if they are to mount a serious title challenge.

Liverpool’s crisis continues to worsen each week, and Slot is now under increasing pressure to halt their alarming decline. The gap to Arsenal already appears insurmountable, transforming their season’s objectives from title contention to securing a Champions League qualification spot.

As Europe’s leagues pause for international fixtures, the narrative threads established this weekend – Arsenal’s vulnerability, Bayern’s mortality, City’s resurgence, and Barcelona’s persistence – will dominate the discourse until domestic action resumes. Wide-open title races across Europe’s major leagues promise compelling drama in the months ahead.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What happened to Arsenal’s clean sheet record?

Arsenal’s historic eight-match clean sheet run came to an end in a 2-2 draw at Sunderland on November 7, 2025. Former Arsenal academy player Dan Ballard scored in the 36th minute, ending David Raya’s 812-minute streak without conceding. The streak had equalled a 122-year-old club record from 1903.

How did Bayern Munich’s winning streak end?

Bayern Munich’s record-breaking 16-game winning streak across all competitions ended with a 2-2 draw at Union Berlin. Dutch defender Danilho Doekhi scored twice for Union, including an 83rd-minute goal, before Harry Kane salvaged a point with a 92nd-minute equaliser.

What was significant about Guardiola’s 1,000th match?

Pep Guardiola celebrated his 1,000th match as a manager with Manchester City’s 3-0 victory over Liverpool at the Etihad Stadium. Erling Haaland, Nico González, and Jérémy Doku scored for City, trimming Arsenal’s lead to four points and exposing Liverpool’s poor form.

Who tops Serie A after Matchday 12?

Inter Milan moved to the top of Serie A after defeating Lazio 2-0 at San Siro. Goals from Lautaro Martínez and Ange-Yoan Bonny secured their third consecutive league victory. Inter lead on goal difference from Roma heading into the international break.

When do the European leagues resume after the international break?

The article indicates that domestic action in the European leagues will resume after the international break in mid-November 2025, with title races across Europe’s major leagues promising compelling drama in the months ahead.