RASMUS HØJLUND NEEDED only 14 minutes of his Napoli debut to find the net as he helped them to a 3-1 win at Fiorentina that extended their perfect start to the Serie A campaign.
Napoli were already 1-0 up through Kevin De Bruyne’s penalty – the Belgian’s second Napoli strike – before Højlund, on loan from Manchester United, latched on to Leonardo Spinazzola’s through ball and applied the finish.
Højlund looked a completely different player to the one who flopped at Manchester United as Napoli threatened to run riot amid the jeers of an unhappy home crowd.
Sam Beukema then made sure of the points six minutes into the second half, with Luca Ranieri’s 79th-minute goal too late for Fiorentina to threaten a comeback.
Vasilije Adzic’s stoppage-time strike gave Juventus a 4-3 win over rivals Inter Milan. They also continued their perfect start and sit level on points at the top with Napoli.
Hakan Calhanoglu had twice equalised from Inter after strikes from Lloyd Kelly and Kenan Yildiz, and Marcus Thuram put the visitors ahead before Khephren Thuram levelled for Juve.
10-man Real Madrid hung on to beat Real Sociedad 2-1 and maintain their perfect start in La Liga.
Kylian Mbappe gave them an early lead but Dean Huijsen controversially saw red in the 31st minute for denying a goalscoring opportunity.
Advertisement
Arda Guler doubled Madrid’s lead just before the hour and it proved vital as Mikel Oyarzabal pulled one back from the penalty spot before Sociedad piled on pressure in the closing stages.
Atletico Madrid got their first league win of the season at the fourth attempt as goals from Pablo Barrios and Nicolas Gonzalez saw off Villarreal.
Harry Kane scoring from the penalty spot against Hamburg. Alamy Stock Photo
Alamy Stock Photo
Harry Kane scored a brace as Bayern Munich maintained their perfect start to the Bundesliga campaign with a 5-0 rout of Hamburg.
Serge Gnabry opened the scoring and Aleksandar Pavlovic made it 2-0 as early as the ninth minute.
Kane’s first and a Luis Diaz strike put Bayern 4-0 up after 29 minutes, with Kane’s second coming from the spot in the second half. His Bayern tally is now 93 goals in 101 games.
Nicolas Jackson came on at half-time, making his debut after moving to Bayern on loan from Chelsea in the summer.
Bayern — winners of 12 of the past 13 league titles — open their Champions League campaign at home against Chelsea on Wednesday.
Serhou Guirassy and Maximilian Beier were on target as Borussia Dortmund beat 10-man Heidenheim 2-0.
Wolfsburg and Cologne shared the points from a dramatic 3-3 draw, with three goals in stoppage time.
Meanwhile, Ruben Amorim believes he is helping Kobbie Mainoo’s long-term development despite a lack of regular game time leading to the midfielder requesting a loan move away from Manchester United last month.
United rejected that request and Mainoo made his first Premier League appearance of the season as a second-half substitute in the 3-2 win over Burnley before the international window, but it is clear he faces a fight to break into Amorim’s midfield this term.
Sunday’s derby at Manchester City brings back memories of the 20-year-old’s stunning goal and man of the match display in the 2024 FA Cup final when Erik ten Hag’s side beat City to lift the trophy, but a player who started the Euro 2024 final could well be on the bench once again this weekend.
“Like a lot of guys, he wants to play more,” Amorim said. “I didn’t have a conversation with him before the window closed – I did this week – because I don’t want Kobbie Mainoo thinking that I was having any conversation with him just to hold on to him. I don’t want that feeling.
“I believe a lot in Kobbie but some of you think that Kobbie Mainoo is already (the finished article). I think he can do so much better, he can improve a lot.
“I think for some guys it is enough (their talent), but for him it is not enough. Maybe it’s not fair, but I think I’m helping Kobbie Mainoo, and that’s it. He will have opportunities like the other guys.”
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Close
4 Comments
This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic.
Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy
here
before taking part.
Manchester United loanee Højlund scores on Napoli debut
RASMUS HØJLUND NEEDED only 14 minutes of his Napoli debut to find the net as he helped them to a 3-1 win at Fiorentina that extended their perfect start to the Serie A campaign.
Napoli were already 1-0 up through Kevin De Bruyne’s penalty – the Belgian’s second Napoli strike – before Højlund, on loan from Manchester United, latched on to Leonardo Spinazzola’s through ball and applied the finish.
Højlund looked a completely different player to the one who flopped at Manchester United as Napoli threatened to run riot amid the jeers of an unhappy home crowd.
Sam Beukema then made sure of the points six minutes into the second half, with Luca Ranieri’s 79th-minute goal too late for Fiorentina to threaten a comeback.
Vasilije Adzic’s stoppage-time strike gave Juventus a 4-3 win over rivals Inter Milan. They also continued their perfect start and sit level on points at the top with Napoli.
Hakan Calhanoglu had twice equalised from Inter after strikes from Lloyd Kelly and Kenan Yildiz, and Marcus Thuram put the visitors ahead before Khephren Thuram levelled for Juve.
10-man Real Madrid hung on to beat Real Sociedad 2-1 and maintain their perfect start in La Liga.
Kylian Mbappe gave them an early lead but Dean Huijsen controversially saw red in the 31st minute for denying a goalscoring opportunity.
Arda Guler doubled Madrid’s lead just before the hour and it proved vital as Mikel Oyarzabal pulled one back from the penalty spot before Sociedad piled on pressure in the closing stages.
Atletico Madrid got their first league win of the season at the fourth attempt as goals from Pablo Barrios and Nicolas Gonzalez saw off Villarreal.
Harry Kane scored a brace as Bayern Munich maintained their perfect start to the Bundesliga campaign with a 5-0 rout of Hamburg.
Serge Gnabry opened the scoring and Aleksandar Pavlovic made it 2-0 as early as the ninth minute.
Kane’s first and a Luis Diaz strike put Bayern 4-0 up after 29 minutes, with Kane’s second coming from the spot in the second half. His Bayern tally is now 93 goals in 101 games.
Nicolas Jackson came on at half-time, making his debut after moving to Bayern on loan from Chelsea in the summer.
Bayern — winners of 12 of the past 13 league titles — open their Champions League campaign at home against Chelsea on Wednesday.
Serhou Guirassy and Maximilian Beier were on target as Borussia Dortmund beat 10-man Heidenheim 2-0.
Wolfsburg and Cologne shared the points from a dramatic 3-3 draw, with three goals in stoppage time.
Meanwhile, Ruben Amorim believes he is helping Kobbie Mainoo’s long-term development despite a lack of regular game time leading to the midfielder requesting a loan move away from Manchester United last month.
United rejected that request and Mainoo made his first Premier League appearance of the season as a second-half substitute in the 3-2 win over Burnley before the international window, but it is clear he faces a fight to break into Amorim’s midfield this term.
Sunday’s derby at Manchester City brings back memories of the 20-year-old’s stunning goal and man of the match display in the 2024 FA Cup final when Erik ten Hag’s side beat City to lift the trophy, but a player who started the Euro 2024 final could well be on the bench once again this weekend.
“Like a lot of guys, he wants to play more,” Amorim said. “I didn’t have a conversation with him before the window closed – I did this week – because I don’t want Kobbie Mainoo thinking that I was having any conversation with him just to hold on to him. I don’t want that feeling.
“I believe a lot in Kobbie but some of you think that Kobbie Mainoo is already (the finished article). I think he can do so much better, he can improve a lot.
“I think for some guys it is enough (their talent), but for him it is not enough. Maybe it’s not fair, but I think I’m helping Kobbie Mainoo, and that’s it. He will have opportunities like the other guys.”
- With reporting from – © AFP 2025
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Football Italian Job Soccer