Progress Report: European Sides with Perfect Starts This Season
Most European domestic seasons are around one month old, with most teams having played between four and seven matches. At this stage, however, only a handful of clubs are maintaining a 100 percent league record.
There are none to be found in the Premier League, Ligue 1 or the Eredivisie. This may say something about the relative parity in these leagues, but let this take nothing away from the teams who have achieved perfect starts elsewhere.
Here are the teams currently boasting maximum points in Europe's major leagues...
Barcelona
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Much has been made of the fact that Barcelona enjoyed less than 50 percent of possession for the first time in 317 matches during their 4-0 win over Rayo Vallecano on Saturday.
Less attention seems to have fallen on the fact that the Blaugrana have won all six of their 2013-14 league matches, scoring a mammoth 22 goals in the process.
Leo Messi and Neymar enjoyed their first successful pairing during the 4-1 drubbing of Real Sociedad at the Nou Camp on Tuesday evening, with both players getting on the scoresheet. It was the Brazilian's first league goal in Spain and the 13th consecutive home league match in which the Argentinean has found the net.
This is by no means the first time a Barca side has managed a 6-0 start, as bosses Johan Cruyff, Louis van Gaal, Pep Guardiola, Tito Vilanova and Jim Bellamy (in 1929) all managed it.
Atletico Madrid
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Atletico Madrid's Diego Costa may have had his shorts pulled down on Tuesday evening, but his side have been metaphorically de-pantsing all opposition this season as they enjoy the same perfect La Liga start as Barcelona.
Atleti dismissed struggling Osasuna at the Vicente Calderon on Tuesday and have also gotten the better of Sevilla, Rayo Vallecano, Real Sociedad, Almeria and Real Valladolid.
The sixth consecutive win has helped Diego Simeone's side equal their best-ever La Liga starts (1991-92 and 1964-65), but it should be noted that they started last season winning seven straight matches after a draw on the opening day.
The winning streak will face its toughest test yet on Saturday when Atleti host their neighbours Real. They haven't beaten their city rivals at home in the league since 1999.
Roma
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Most Serie A teams have only played four matches, but just two of them can still boast a 100 percent record.
One of those winning sides is AS Roma, who have beaten Livorno, newbies Hellas Verona, Parma and city rivals Lazio so far.
With victory in an emotional Derby della Capitale on Sunday—in which defender Federico Balzaretti cried tears of joy after scoring the decisive goal—the Giallorossi are enjoying their best start to a Serie A season since 1960-61.
Napoli
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On Sunday, Mario Balotelli missed his first career penalty, scored a late goal then was sent off after the full-time whistle blew in Milan's 2-1 home loss to Napoli.
Super Mario's antics completely detracted from the fact that Napoli won at the San Siro for the first time since 1986 and they now boast a 4-0 winning record.
After selling their best player (Edinson Cavani scored 40 percent of the Partenopei's league goals last year) and losing their manager in the summer, full credit must be given to Rafa Benitez, who has encouraged inspiring performances against Milan, Atalanta, Chievo, Bologna and also Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League.
Leyton Orient
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They may not be playing in one of Europe's top leagues, but an honourable mention must go to Leyton Orient.
After a 2-0 win at Brentford on Monday evening, the Os have now managed eight wins from eight League One matches.
They are the only team in England with a 100 percent record remaining: it's the best start in the club's history and it's also the best start by any English league club since Jose Mourinho's Chelsea kicked off 2005-06 with nine consecutive wins.
Only six sides in the 125-year history of the English football league have bettered their 8-0 start.
Manager Russell Slade's achievements are particularly impressive when you consider the fact that they haven't spent any money on transfers in three-and-a-half years.
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