Football, Futbol, Fußball, Calcio: The Weekend Review

Every Monday, we'll take a stroll through Europe to review the best - and worst - the top leagues on the continent had to offer over the weekend. As always, there is plenty to discuss after a full slate of action.

The Storylines

Cesc Fabregas, Diego Costa continue to dominate the Premier League

There's been no stopping the Spanish duo since their arrival in England, and it continues to look like there will be no stopping Chelsea in the Premier League this season.

The Blues weren't able to replicate the 6-0 thrashing of Arsenal from last season, but Sunday's relatively comfortable 2-0 win was a reminder to the rest of the Premier League that this team is on another level this year. There is quality at every position, and depth aplenty for Jose Mourinho.

At the moment, there are also three players who can legitimately claim to be among the very best at their respective positions.

Eden Hazard was spectacular on the day, winning - and converting - a penalty and being a constant menace out on the flanks. And when Chelsea needed a second goal to secure the result, their superstar duo duly delivered.

Unless Diego Costa's hamstring explodes, it's difficult to see him running into any extended scoring drought this season, especially considering the silver platter Fabregas is presenting to him every week.

Related: 3 things you need to know about Sunday's Premier League action

Juventus and Roma battle to the bitter end

Europe's other marquee match this weekend saw the first of what should be two enthralling title bouts in Serie A, with reigning champions Juventus and No. 1 contenders Roma bludgeoning each other on Sunday in a wild showcase of what makes Serie A both fantastic and awful.

Juventus emerged from the wreckage with a 3-2 win, but under the most dubious of circumstances. 

A quick recap:

• Seven yellow cards
• Two red cards
• Three penalties (all of which were of the questionable variety)
• One manager sent to the stands for mocking the referee

And the conspiracy theories. Oh, the conspiracy theories.

Cries of robbery have emanated from Italy's capital since the final whistle. Both of Juventus' penalties - dispatched with ease by Carlos Tevez, were met with some raised eyebrows. A handball by Maicon for the first, a foul that looked to be just outside the area by Miralem Pjanic for the second.

"Everybody stop, this is a robbery," Roma-based paper Il Tempo said. Il Corriere dello Sport declared that the league has been "falsified."

And what did Francesco Totti think of the match?

"They should make a league just for them because in the end, come what may, they always win," he declared about Juventus. "I'm feeling pretty down. We weren't beaten by Juve. These things have been going on for years, and they continue to determine how seasons go ..."

It's a shame, because with a competent referee, the post-match reaction would have been all about the quality of football.

Roma looked dangerous whenever in possession, never more so than when Gervinho and Juan Iturbe combined to score the team's second goal by slicing the Juventus defense to shreds.

And the winning tally?

It was befitting of the soap opera that preceded it. Central defender Leonardo Bonucci, who hadn't scored a league goal since January (against Roma) smashed home a sensational volley with just minutes remaining to give the Bianconeri all three points.

The discussion about that goal: whether Arturo Vidal, clearly in an offside position, was obstructing the view of the goalkeeper.

Welcome to Serie A, where drama reigns supreme.

The Highlights

Leeds United defender Giuseppe Bellusci restores faith in humanity

Having already scored the equalizer in Leeds' 1-1 draw with Sheffield Wednesday (English League Championship), Giuseppe Bellusci took time at the final whistle to run over to the fans and gift his jersey to a young supporter who was watching the match from his wheelchair. Feelings.

Fiorentina's Khouma Babacar unleashes thunderbolt against Inter 

Fiorentina hammered Inter 3-0 on Sunday evening, and the scoring party started early with this screamer from their 21-year-old Senegalese attacker. Two goalkeepers could have been standing between the posts, and that shot would still have found the net.

David de Gea saves the day for Manchester United

My rhyme was bad. This save was not. The Manchester United goalkeeper preserved a 2-1 victory over Everton on Sunday with this ridiculous diving save in stoppage time - after having turned aside a penalty from Leighton Baines earlier in the contest. Pretty good day at the office.

Arsene Wenger vs. Jose Mourinho: Round 3,256

A slight exaggeration, sure, but the frosty relationship (read: complete and utter disdain) between the two managers manifested once again on Sunday, this time in a physical altercation on the sideline at Stamford Bridge. This round goes to the lanky Frenchman, who used his reach to great effect.

(Courtesy: Sportsnet)

The Lowlight 

Football in De Bruyne

Hans Moleman, you're not alone. Kevin De Bruyne was on the receiving end of a bizarre incident on Sunday, when Augsburg's Tobias Werner attempted to stop the Belgian from taking a throw-in by flicking his boot at his groin.

De Bruyne doesn't even flinch. Kevin > Hans.

The Shocker

Atletico Madrid's defense capitulates, concedes 3 quick goals in loss to Valencia

Atletico Madrid went into Saturday's contest with Valencia having conceded just four goals in six La Liga matches this season. Despite being ravaged by transfers in the summer, the team was still built on a defensive solidity that was difficult to break down - just ask Real Madrid and Juventus.

Valencia had no such issues. In fact, they made it look easy. Beginning with an atrocious own goal from Miranda in the sixth minute, Los Che found the net three times in a seven-minute spell to effectively put the game beyond reach before it had a chance to really get going.

Valencia's win itself was not entirely surprising - they are yet to lose a match this season and sit second in the table, two points adrift of Barcelona - but the manner in which Atletico's typically stern defense was made to look amateur was wholly unexpected.

The Controversy

Concussion protocol comes into question once again

Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois was the latest player to be put in danger by the sport's lax approach to head injuries.

Courtois, involved in a heavy collision with Alexis Sanchez early in the aforementioned match at Stamford Bridge, was visibly in distress, lying on the ground seemingly concussed before he was allowed to stay in the game.

He lasted less than 20 minutes after the incident, requiring further attention from team trainers before being substituted. He was replaced by Petr Cech - whose concussion history is plain for all to see by the protective headgear he wears on the pitch - and taken to hospital.

The club maintains that tests have come back "all clear." Yet the question remains: why was he allowed to play on in the first place when there was the suspicion of a serious head injury?

We've seen it all too often before. Sadly, things show no sign of changing.

The 1,000 Words

Bayern Munich and lederhosens steal the show in this space for the week.

The defending Bundesliga champions brushed Hannover aside on Saturday, picking up a straightforward 4-0 victory at the Allianz Arena. Celebration was in order, and for Germany's biggest team, only Germany's biggest party will suffice.

It's become something of a tradition for the club to appear at Oktoberfest, and photographers everywhere are happy for it. The club's official Twitter account documented all the fun, which you can see here. (Yes, there are giant pretzels).

But first, let Robert Lewandowski take a selfie.

(Courtesy: FCBayernVEN)

This is the latest trend in scoring celebrations, and it needs to end now.

Stray Thoughts

• Xabi Alonso almost did it again. A note to goalkeepers everywhere: just stay on your line when he's on the field.
• Cristiano Ronaldo scored another hat-trick this weekend, this time in a 5-0 destruction of Athletic Bilbao. It was his 22nd since arriving in Spain, tying a league record. Football is not this easy, honest.
• Is Angel di Maria the best player in the Premier League? It's hard to argue with that at the moment.
• Paris Saint-Germain continues to struggle in Ligue 1. A late goal saw the defending champions pegged back by Monaco, held to another disappointing draw that sees them drop seven points off first-place Marseille.
• Borussia Dortmund are going to turn this around, right? Not losing any more players to injury would be a good start.
• Papiss Cisse's scoring spree is single-handedly ensuring that Alan Pardew does not get fired. For the sake of the club and its supporters, the striker should probably stop scoring goals.