Messi Messi

Lionel Messi was Barça's hero, firing two goals to turn the result around at Osasuna in Pamplona, giving Barcelona six points from two games, already five ahead of arch rivals Real Madrid. England and Manchester United star Wayne Rooney is set for a two-month stoppage through injury after tearing his leg in United's 3-2 defeat of Fulham at Old Trafford.

In the Premiership, Chelsea is the early leader ahead of the UEFA Super Cup against Atlético Madrid. Three games, nine points, after a 2-0 demolition of Newcastle United at Stamford Bridge. Swansea and Everton are on seven points, having, respectively, beaten West Ham (3-0 in Wales) and Aston Villa 3-1 at Villa Park. Liverpool and Manchester City drew 2-2.

Barcelona and Rayo Vallecano (Madrid) lead La Liga with maximum points from 2 games. Barça won 2-1 at Osasuna; Rayo won 2-1 at Betis (Seville). Valencia and Deportivo la Coruña drew 3 apiece; Malaga and Mallorca 1-1, Granada and Sevilla 1-1.

In Italy, the early leaders are tose who scored three points in the first game, namely Inter. Milan, Napoli, Chievo Verona, Genoa, Juventus, Fiorentina, Lazio and Sampdoria.

In Germany the first game produced wins for Bayern München, Düsseldorf 1895, Eintracht Frankfurt, Borussia Moenchengladbach, Borussia Dortmund, Nürnberg and Wolfsburg.

Olympique de Marseille heads La Ligue with 9 points from three games, beating Montpellier away 1-0; Olympique Lyonnais drew 1-1 at Evian, Valenciennes beat Ajaccio 3-0; Bordeaux and PSG drew 0-0 n Paris and Toulouse beat Nancy 1-0 away.

Zenit and Terek Grozny have 13 points from 6 games in the Russian Premier League. Zenit lost at home to third-placed Rubin Kazan (12 points) by 1-2; fourth placed CASK Moskva beat Krylya Sovetov 3-0 in Moscow and Spartak Moskva (fifth) was beaten 2-1 by Terek in Grozny.

In Portugal, early leaders are Benfica, FC Porto, Braga, Moreirense, Olhanense and Marítimo. Benfica thrashed Vitória Setúbal away 5-0; Porto demolished Vitória Guimarães 4-0; Braga beat Beira Mar 3-1; Moreirense received and beat Nacional 3-1; Moreirense drew away at Académica 1-1 and Marítimo and Gil Vicente drew in Madeira 0-0.

CS Pandurii Târgu leads the Romanian Premier with 16 points from 6 games; in the Netherlands, Twente has maximum points from 3 games and in Ukraine, Shakhtar Donetsk has the best register in Europe, 7 games, 21 points.

Timothy Bancroft-Hinchey

Pravda.Ru