The list of remaining unbeaten clubs across Europe’s top seven leagues shrank over the weekend as Manchester City and Barcelona suffered their first defeats of the campaign.
Enzo Maresca‘s men were beaten 2-1 away at Aston Villa thanks to a Nicolas Jackson brace, ending a run of seven consecutive victories to start the Premier League season. City now sit level with defending champions Arsenal at the summit, both on 21 points.
Meanwhile, it was the small matter of El Clasico on Sunday evening. Raphinha pulled Barca level on the hour mark after Kylian Mbappe had given Real Madrid a half-time lead. However, Mbappe added his second of the night just three minutes from time, meaning Barca, Real and Atletico Madrid are separated by just three points at the top of La Liga.
All of that leaves just nine unbeaten teams across Europe’s top seven leagues. So, who are they, and what are their chances of winning their respective titles?
Serie A
Inter
Inter are the defending champions, have won three of the last six Serie A titles and have only dropped out of the top two once during that time — not to mention reaching two Champions League finals in the process.
They can be considered the current dominant force in Italian football, and they’re showing it, opening the campaign with seven wins and a draw. The only points they’ve dropped were against another unbeaten team, AS Roma, who we’ll come to shortly.
This season, the Nerazzurri’s dominance has been built on a blistering attack. They’ve conceded the most goals of any team in Serie A’s top five (10), but their 23 goals scored are at least four clear of any other team in the division.
They only beat Fiorentina 2-1 at the weekend, but have put at least three past Monza, Napoli, Udinese, Parma and Bologna. Marcus Thuram and Lautaro Martinez have scored five and four goals, respectively.
Inter are firm Serie A title favourites for a reason.
Inter’s Serie A title odds: 2/5 with bet365
Lazio
Lazio finished ninth last season and haven’t made the top six since 2022/23, so seeing them second and level on points with Inter at this stage is something of a shock.
The Biancocelesti have been airtight at the back, conceding a league-best five goals and sitting second for clean sheets (4). Christos Mandas has arguably been the best goalkeeper in Serie A so far this term.
Lazio do lack a regular goalscorer, with midfielder Davide Frattesi only producing a team-high three strikes so far. However, they thrashed Juventus 3-0 away recently, which proved they can produce against top sides, having surrendered a 2-0 lead to draw 2-2 at home to AC Milan earlier in the campaign.
Gennaro Gattuso‘s men are long shots and expected to fall away in the end. But for now, they’re proving impossible to beat.
Lazio’s Serie A title odds: 20/1 with bet365
Roma
Lazio’s fierce rivals, Roma, are also yet to taste defeat in Serie A this season. The three-time champions are third, four points behind the aforementioned duo, with five wins and three draws from eight games.
Those three draws have come in their last four games and, in truth, they’ve been a little fortunate. Roma gave up a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 against Inter and came under immense pressure in that game, while their 3-3 draw at Napoli was a back-and-forth encounter that could have gone either way. Gian Piero Gasperini‘s men even had to play 37 minutes with 10 men in their goalless draw with Como after Donyell Malen was sent off, with the hosts spurning chances worth 1.35.
Nevertheless, only Lazio have conceded fewer goals than Roma (6), who also have a league-high five clean sheets. Half their goals conceded came in that Napoli on Saturday, and they have key difference-makers in six-goal Malen, Matias Soule and Paulo Dybala. That is why they’re second-favourites for the Serie A title.
Roma’s Serie A title odds: 11/2 with bet365
AC Milan
As mentioned, Milan came from two goals down to snatch a 2-2 draw away at Lazio in mid-September. Just days earlier, they were within moments of beating Juventus 1-0 on the road as well, before Federico Gatti‘s last-gasp equaliser.
All told, Milan have been relatively comfortable in holding on to their unbeaten record. Adrien Rabiot has been a surprising source of final-third output, registering team-highs for goals (4) and assists (3). Meanwhile, Mike Maignan remains among Serie A’s most consistent goalkeepers.
The real test for the Rossoneri comes at the end of October when they contest the Milan derby against Inter. But they’re in the mix and third-favourites for the Serie A title.
AC Milan’s Serie A title odds: 12/1 with bet365
Bundesliga
Bayern Munich
Over to Germany, and there are no surprises here. Bayern Munich have responded incredibly to Bayer Leverkusen‘s shock 2023/24 title win, losing just three games across the last two Bundesliga seasons combined and winning the Meisterschale by 13 and 16-point margins.
This season, the Bavarians top the pile again with five wins and two draws from seven games, with just six goals conceded and a whopping 25 goals scored — at least five more than any other side.
RB Leipzig were thrashed 6-1, Union Berlin 7-0 and Stuttgart 5-1, with Michael Olise their top scorer on six goals. Harry Kane is just behind on four, while he’s once again supplemented that output with a team-high five assists.
Bayern’s biggest test, however, comes following their DFB-Pokal clash against Magdeburg, when they host Borussia Dortmund in Der Klassiker.
Bayern Munich’s Bundesliga title odds: 1/16 with bet365
Borussia Dortmund
That brings us nicely to Dortmund, whose narrow 1-0 win over Eintracht Frankfurt at the weekend leaves them level on points with Bayern heading into their vital clash.
Dortmund’s form so far has been built on a solid defence, with their four goals conceded and five clean sheets the best in the Bundesliga.
That win against Frankfurt is also a huge morale boost ahead of Der Klassiker, with Die Schwarzgelben conceding twice late to draw 2-2 against Werder Bremen and being held to a goalless draw at Union Berlin in the two games prior.
Bayern remain overwhelming favourites, but Dortmund’s 12/1 title odds would shorten if they can get a rare result against their fiercest rivals.
Borussia Dortmund’s Bundesliga title odds: 12/1 with bet365
Eredivisie
Feyenoord
PSV have utterly dominated the Eredivisie over the last three years. However, Feyenoord have finished second twice during that time, and won the last non-PSV title.
This season, the Rotterdam side are setting the pace, winning seven and drawing three of their opening 10 games.
There have been some close calls, beating Sparta 1-0 in the Rotterdam derby, surrendering a 2-0 lead to draw 2-2 against both Go Ahead Eagles and ADO Den Haag, and surviving a 4-3 thriller away at Telstar. However, they’ve also blown away the likes of PEC Zwolle (7-0) and Utrecht (5-0).
The biggest test of Feyenoord’s credentials came on Sunday as they came from a goal down to draw 1-1 at PSV. A superb result against the Netherlands‘ unstoppable force in recent times.
Feyenoord remain second-favourites to seal title number 17, but their current form puts them well in the mix.
Feyenoord’s Eredivisie title odds: 13/8 with bet365
Liga Portugal
Porto
Porto ended a three-year title drought last season, losing just twice in 34 games. It marked the end of a bizarre season in Portugal, in which Benfica went unbeaten in the league but finished third, thanks to 11 draws in 34 games. But that is the standard that Porto and Sporting CP have set in recent years.
The Dragons have been unstoppable at the start of this campaign, winning all nine of their league matches. Only Benfica (24) have scored more goals (21), while Porto’s four goals conceded is the joint-best record in the division.
Gabriel Veiga is really coming into his own, registering four goals and three assists in nine Liga Portugal appearances, including scoring the opener in a 3-1 win over second-place Benfica — who trail Porto by eight points with a game in hand.
Porto’s Liga Portugal title odds: 1/2 with bet365
Santa Clara
By far the most surprising name on this list, this is only Santa Clara’s third season back in Liga Portugal. However, during that time, they’ve secured European qualification and stayed comfortably clear of the relegation battle.
The Azores side have proven impossible to beat so far this season, winning five and drawing three of their opening eight games.
Santa Clara’s most impressive result was a goalless draw against perennial fourth-place Braga, while they also beat Rio Ave 4-0. While they’ve only scored 12 goals, their record of four goals conceded is level with Porto as the best in the league.
The biggest test for Petit’s men comes on Monday night, when they host Benfica. Even if they win that, however, it’s hard to see their title odds shortening significantly from 100/1. Going all the way would blow even Leicester City‘s achievement out of the water.
Santa Clara’s Liga Portugal title odds: 100/1 with bet365