Raphinha the Clasico King, More Gloom for Man Utd but Finally Something to Smile About for Endrick

Winners and Losers from the Weekend’s Football Across Europe

European football rarely slows down, and this past weekend was a perfect reminder of just how unforgiving – and unpredictable – the game can be. While the Bundesliga returned from its winter break and Serie A’s title race intensified with a heavyweight clash, much of the spotlight fell on domestic cup competitions and Super Cup finals spread across the continent. From FA Cup drama in England to a fiery Clasico in Saudi Arabia, emotions swung wildly between joy and despair.

Some clubs walked away with unforgettable moments, others with serious questions to answer. Individual brilliance shone in certain corners, while familiar problems resurfaced elsewhere. As ever, football handed out its rewards and punishments without mercy. Here are the biggest winners and losers from a weekend that had a bit of everything.

WINNER: FA Cup Magic Still Lives

Macclesfield v Crystal Palace – Emirates FA Cup Third Round

The phrase “the magic of the FA Cup” gets thrown around so often these days that it sometimes feels more like marketing than reality. Modern football, with its financial gaps and packed calendars, has chipped away at the romance. But every now and then, the competition reminds everyone why it still matters.

This weekend delivered one of those moments.

Macclesfield versus Crystal Palace on paper looked like a mismatch of historic proportions. A 117-place gap in the English football pyramid told its own story. Palace arrived as holders, fresh from lifting the trophy at Wembley last May, and even named a strong side featuring the likes of Marc Guehi, Adam Wharton and Yeremy Pino. This was not a weakened team sent out to go through the motions.

Yet at Moss Rose, logic went out of the window.

Macclesfield, a part-time side competing in the National League North, produced a performance for the ages. Their 2-1 victory was not a fluke or a smash-and-grab. They earned it. Palace huffed and puffed, and while Yeremy Pino’s stoppage-time free-kick briefly threatened to spoil the party, it only delayed the inevitable celebrations.

For a club that was literally wiped off the map in 2020 when Macclesfield Town were wound up, this felt like redemption. Their phoenix club has clawed its way back through the leagues, but this was something else entirely. Manager John Rooney, brother of Wayne, fought back tears on BBC Sport as he described the result as “incredible”. If anything, that word undersold it.

For one weekend at least, the FA Cup reminded everyone that football is still capable of producing moments that money can’t buy.

LOSER: Manchester United Sink Deeper

Manchester United v Brighton & Hove Albion – Emirates FA Cup Third Round

Not everyone got to experience magic. For Manchester United, the FA Cup offered one last chance to rescue something tangible from a deeply troubled season. Once again, they let it slip.

A 2-1 home defeat to Brighton on Sunday confirmed an unwanted statistic: United have now failed to win a domestic cup match this season. Add that to their early Carabao Cup exit and a humiliating penalty shootout loss to Grimsby Town back in August, and the picture becomes bleak.

This is the first time since the 1981-82 season that United have gone an entire campaign without winning a domestic cup tie. Even more damning is the wider context. With no European football, United are on course to play just 40 matches this season – their lowest tally since before the First World War.

There was hope of a lift at Old Trafford with Darren Fletcher taking charge of his first home game as interim manager following Ruben Amorim’s sacking. The atmosphere early on suggested a clean slate. That optimism didn’t last long.

Brighton took control through Brajan Gruda, and by the time Danny Welbeck scored against his former club for the eighth time in his career, the mood had shifted from frustration to resignation. The sending-off of teenage prospect Shea Lacey late on summed up the chaos.

United still have league business to attend to, but any hope of silverware as a distraction has gone. The gloom around Old Trafford feels heavier by the week.

WINNER: Raphinha, the Clasico King

FBL-KSA-SUPERCUP-BARCELONA-REAL MADRID

If Manchester United were a reminder of decline, Raphinha was a celebration of resurgence.

The Supercopa de Espana final between Barcelona and Real Madrid was everything it promised to be. Goals, controversy, chaos – and one outstanding individual performance. Barcelona’s 3-2 victory in Jeddah will live long in the memory, and Raphinha was at the heart of it all.

The Brazilian winger has always had big-game temperament, but his recent record against Real Madrid is becoming absurd. Two more goals in the Supercopa final took his tally to seven goals in five Clasico appearances since the start of last season. That includes back-to-back braces in Super Cup finals – an extraordinary feat.

Since returning from a hamstring injury in November, Raphinha has been unstoppable. Eight goals and three assists in eight starts tell their own story. More importantly, he looks confident, decisive and ruthless.

There was a brief moment when his place felt under threat as Marcus Rashford impressed during his absence. That debate now feels settled. Raphinha is not just back – he is leading Barcelona from the front. Talk of individual awards might sound premature, but if this form continues, he will be impossible to ignore when Ballon d’Or conversations resurface.

WINNER: Endrick Finally Gets His Moment

Endrick Lyon 2025-26

While Real Madrid were licking their wounds in Saudi Arabia, one of their own was smiling elsewhere. Endrick’s loan move to Lyon already looks like the right decision.

The teenage forward had endured a frustrating first half of the season at Madrid. Under Xabi Alonso, minutes were scarce – just 99 across all competitions, mostly against lower-league opposition in the Copa del Rey. For a player of his promise, that was never going to be enough.

Thrown straight into Lyon’s starting XI for a Coupe de France clash with Lille, Endrick wasted no time announcing himself. He struck the post inside five minutes and then calmly finished from close range before half-time to score his first goal for the club. It proved decisive in a 2-1 win.

Lyon coach Paulo Fonseca was understandably pleased. “It wasn’t easy after just a week with us, but it was very positive,” he said. For Endrick, it was more than just a goal – it was validation. Regular football, confidence, momentum. All the things he had been missing.

LOSER: Bayer Leverkusen Brought Back to Earth

Bayer 04 Leverkusen v VfB Stuttgart – Bundesliga

The Bundesliga’s return was meant to signal a fresh start for Bayer Leverkusen. Instead, it delivered a harsh reality check.

After a turbulent early season that saw Erik ten Hag sacked after just three matches, Kasper Hjulmand had steadied the ship impressively. Leverkusen ended 2025 with renewed belief, wins over RB Leipzig and Borussia Dortmund, and even a Champions League victory against Manchester City.

Then came Stuttgart.

Despite being unbeaten in 15 matches against them, Leverkusen were dismantled. Four goals conceded before half-time at the BayArena left fans stunned. Alex Grimaldo’s penalty after the break was nothing more than a consolation in a 4-1 defeat that dropped them to fourth.

“We were miles away from a good performance,” admitted Jarell Quansah. It was an honest assessment, and one that will sting. Momentum can vanish quickly in football, and Leverkusen were reminded of that in brutal fashion.

WINNER: Bayern Munich Send a Warning

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If Leverkusen stumbled, Bayern Munich surged.

An 8-1 demolition of Wolfsburg was as ruthless as it was ominous. Bayern were briefly pegged back to 1-1 and led by just one goal at half-time, but the second half was pure domination.

Michael Olise stole the show with two goals and two assists. Luis Diaz chipped in with a goal and three assists. Even on a day of eight goals, Harry Kane still found time to score a beauty from distance, taking his season tally to 31 in 26 games.

Vincent Kompany’s comments afterwards were telling. He praised the hunger, the pressing, the refusal to ease off. Bayern look sharp, driven, and frighteningly capable of improving further.

WINNER: Scott McTominay’s Redemption Arc

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In Italy, Inter and Napoli shared the points in a thrilling 2-2 draw, but the standout story belonged to Scott McTominay.

The Serie A MVP from last season has rediscovered his authority despite being deployed in a deeper role following Napoli’s tactical reshuffle. After an early mistake contributed to Inter’s opener, McTominay responded in the best possible way – by scoring both equalisers.

Italian media labelled him a “robot” for his ability to reset mentally and dominate the game. Three goals in a week underline his importance, and if this form continues, Napoli’s title ambitions remain very much alive.

LOSER: AC Milan Miss Their Chance

ACF Fiorentina v AC Milan – Serie A

With Inter and Napoli cancelling each other out, AC Milan had a golden opportunity. They didn’t take it.

A 1-1 draw away at Fiorentina, rescued by a last-gasp equaliser from Christopher Nkunku, felt like two points dropped rather than one gained. Against a side battling relegation, Milan struggled badly and were second best for long periods.

Massimiliano Allegri’s frustration was evident. Dropping points against two bottom-four teams in quick succession has left Milan playing catch-up once again.

WINNER: Matteo Guendouzi Makes Instant History

Fenerbahçe SK V Galatasaray SK – Turkish Super Cup Final

Finally, Turkey delivered a fairytale debut. Matteo Guendouzi wasted no time justifying his record €28 million move from Lazio to Fenerbahce.

Thrown straight into the Super Cup final against Galatasaray, the former Arsenal midfielder ran the show. His low, driven opener set the tone in a 2-0 victory that secured only Fenerbahce’s second major trophy since 2014.

“I came here to fill the trophy cabinet,” Guendouzi said. After one game, it already feels like a promise kept.

Football moved fast this weekend. Heroes emerged, flaws were exposed, and the season took new turns across Europe. If this was a taste of what’s to come, we’re in for a wild ride.