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No Writer
Sep 14
Inside wargame that tests the UK's home defence

Dozens of people who work in the public sector, as well as those representing banks and utilities gathered at Bath University for two days in the summer to take part in the simulation. Sky News was given exclusive access to the event, dubbed Exercise Grapple, which was not organised by any government department. A video of what unfolded can be seen on Defence Insider, the new Sky News app. Split into groups representing a national cell, a local resilience forum, and various more localised groupings, participants were confronted with a series of crises, starting with sabotage and cyber hostilities and ending with a barrage of drones and missiles. The wargame - run by a small, new, non-governmental entity called the National Civil Protection Centre - found that existing emergency structures worked fairly well even when used in response to war, but that a lot more coordination, integration and resilience is needed. In a report on the simulation, the organisers concluded: "The most significant finding is not that the existing system requires wholesale replacement. Rather, Grapple demonstrates that the existing resilience architecture provides a substantial foundation upon which a more integrated home defence capability can be developed." The wargame was described as one of the first multi-agency home defence exercises that have been held in the UK in decades. It was based on a modern adaptation of actual home defence training that local government officials received during the Cold War, when the whole country was much more aware of the steps everyone would need to take to transition from peace to war. That costly system of plans and preparedness was shelved after the Soviet Union collapsed. Since then, local authorities do still plan for emergencies but they typically focus on more routine hazards such as floods and power cuts, as well as - more recently - pandemics. That is changing, though, with the Cabinet Office - which has overall responsibility for home defence - announcing in July that it will run a new home defence exercise next year. The Grapple wargame offered a sense of how current emergency teams and personnel might cope at a time of war. Sky News watched as the national cell drew on information from public services as well as the private sector in an effort to ensure the country could continue to function in some form. The same kind of determination also emerged in a separate room that was simulating an imaginary council as well as a third area that was pretending to be a local parish, with all participants forced to do the best they could with limited resources, even though dealing with the impact of an act of war was a scenario they largely had not trained for. The wargame organisers in their report, which is due to be published on Monday, said: "The principal opportunity is to strengthen the connections between strategic coordination, tactical operations, local government, community capability, critical infrastructure and the voluntary sector. "Particular attention should be given to the ability to operate when conventional assumptions no longer hold." The importance of the relationship between army liaison officers and the local authorities became clear as the crisis worsened. Read more from Sky News:The sole UK flight that flew over burning Twin TowersVideo shows drone strike near Boris Johnson's train In a wartime scenario, the military would be turning to the civil authorities for assistance in a reversal of what often happens in the wake of a natural disaster, with the military helping local communities under what is known as military aid to the civil authorities (MACA). Nick Gould, a founding member of the National Civil Protection Centre, helped to deliver the Bath University simulation, drawing on training on emergency war planning that he once received when he briefly worked in local government back in the late 1980s. Mr Gould, an enthusiastic advocate for rebuilding national resilience, said the main lesson from the exercise is that "home defence is not the responsibility of one organisation. It is a national capability created by connecting the capabilities that already exist".

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No Writer
Sep 13
'I made a promise': Celine Dion moved to tears during Paris comeback concert

Performing in Paris on Saturday to a sold-out crowd of tens of thousands, an emotional Dion told her adoring fans that it was "amazing we are all together". "I made a promise. I made a promise to come back and to be back on stage," she added. "Here I am singing for you, and singing for me. "Thank you so very much for your support, your patience. I am everything I am because you love me. "The path was rocky, the road was longer ​than planned, but I held on." Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney paid tribute to her return on social media by referencing one of her biggest hits. "It's all coming back," Mr Carney wrote on X. "Congratulations on an incredible return to the stage after six long years." The French-Canadian singer took a break from performing after revealing her stiff person syndrome (SPS) diagnosis in December 2022, which forced her to cancel a world tour. SPS is a rare neurological disorder that causes progressive muscular stiffness and spasms. According to the NHS, there is currently no cure for the autoimmune disease. The five-time Grammy winner's long-awaited comeback was revealed on her birthday on 30 March, when she posted on social media, expressing her excitement in a video message. Dion extended her residency at the La Defense Arena to 16 concerts due to popular demand, with further shows taking place until 14 October, and a further 10 dates in 2027. She will perform her biggest hits in both French and English during the concerts. Fans were also quick to praise Dion over her health issues, with British fan Catherine Rushforth telling Reuters as she was leaving the arena: "She didn't shy ‌away from what she suffered, and she shared it with her audience." More from Sky News entertainment:'We're all on our Andy': SNL UK is back - with a new leading manEastEnders star Shane Richie pleads not guilty to drink-driving The 58-year-old previously cancelled her Las Vegas residency due to health concerns in 2021, revealing her SPS diagnosis the following year. During her break from performing, Dion had a brief cameo singing in the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics in 2024 and had repeatedly expressed her desire to return to the stage.

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Faye Brown, political reporter
Sep 14
Andy Burnham's high stakes policy headache that could split Labour MPs

It's also a "leaking monument" to the decades of Thatcherism and Neo-liberalism he wants to reverse, or so he decried in his first Commons speech as prime minister. Its bold rhetoric that raises the stakes on a challenging policy issue after a summer of rising poll ratings and near-unanimous loyalty from the backbenchers. One Labour source, on what could upend the honeymoon, told Sky News: "Water is going to be a big one. It's both a very technical test of how you handle a fragmented industry/service AND a test of his '40 years of neoliberalism' line." So what will the prime minister do? He hasn't ruled out nationalisation but he talks much more often about public control, which favours regulation over state ownership. Such a move risks putting him on a collision course with his backbenchers, at least 30 of whom are expected to speak at a debate about the public ownership of water in Westminster Hall on Monday, Sky News has been told. This includes members of the left-wing socialist campaign group, who made water nationalisation a key demand during the leadership transition. Clive Lewis, of the soft-left Mainstream group, will argue control equals "more failed regulation" and a Labour government that "doesn't grasp the nettle" on this won't give voters a proper choice at the next election. However it is not just those on the left who back ownership. Paul Davies, a 2024 intake MP who will be leading the debate, argues the sector needs a "fundamental rewiring". He told Sky News: "Years of mismanagement and abuse by private water companies have left the public frustrated and disillusioned, and tightening regulation alone will not fix this. "Public ownership is essential to rebuild trust in the sector because it would give the public a voice in the system which they fund and rely on." The key argument against nationalisation is the cost. Last year, the Treasury put the price tag at £100bn, though that figure has been disputed. An alternative road the government could go down is mutualisation - where water companies would be restructured into customer-owned co-operatives similar to Welsh Water, with all financial surplus reinvested back. The Good Growth Foundation, which is a Labour-leaning think tank, has drawn up a report on how this could work, which Sky News understands Number 10 is looking at. The report has been backed by several Labour mayors and MPs, including Helena Dollimore, whose Hastings and Rye constituency has been blighted by water outages and sewage dumping. "It's an oven-ready plan," she said. "We have to be fiscally responsible. This takes away the profit motivation so it would be run in the interests of the people, not profits." Some critics of the mutualisation model question how it would raise the capital required to invest in new infrastructure, with mutuals likely to face higher interest on borrowing than a government. However cost isn't the only issue the government faces, with questions over how it would legally take companies out of private hands. Environment Secretary Angela Eagle has said she is prepared to change insolvency laws to make it easier for the government to put failing companies into special administration - from which point they could be renationalised or transferred to new owners. Thames Water, grappling with billions in debt and seeking a rescue deal, is expected to be the first company the government deals with and could provide a blueprint for the wider industry. A government source stressed "nothing is off the table" and ministers may take a different approach to individual water companies based on how they are performing. Ultimately, not all MPs are dogmatic about what should happen. Will Stone, the Labour MP for Swindon North, said he would like to see at least Thames Water nationalised but he is "not hung up on ideology" and what matters is "best value and service". That might save the prime minister a fight with his own MPs, though he would still have Green Party leader Zack Polanski to contend with, who has long backed public ownership and is looking for reasons to undermine Burnham's left-wing credentials. More detail on the direction the prime minister will be in his 10-year-plan for the country, expected by the end of the year. A government spokesperson insisted they are already "holding water companies to account" citing new reforms that "will create a water system that works for customers, the environment and investors for decades to come, with tougher regulation, stronger enforcement and greater accountability".

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No Writer
Sep 14
Erling Haaland's goal for Man City against Man Utd was a mistake- but why did it happen?

The striker's goal was initially disallowed for offside on the pitch before VAR overturned the decision. The VAR officials deemed that Haaland was played onside by Manchester United defender Patrick Dorgu. However, Manchester City's Enzo Fernandez was in an offside position as he attempted to play the ball before it reached Haaland. Neville: Officials got Haaland wrongMan Utd news & transfers🔴 | Man Utd fixtures & scoresGot Sky? Watch Premier League games LIVE on your phone📱Not got Sky? Latest Sky Sports deals or stream PL games with no contract Here, we look at some of the key questions surrounding the incident... Have Pro Ref explained why the goal was awarded? Pro Ref - the Professional Game Referees formerly known as the PGMOL or PGMO - confirmed on Sunday night that an error was made when City's winning goal was awarded. While acknowledging "an error of judgement", their statement only offered a partial explanation for why the goal was mistakenly awarded. Having admitted the goal should have remained ruled out because Fernandez was offside, the statement declared: "On this occasion, the VAR did not recognise the likely impact of his position." But the overarching question of why the VAR failed to appreciate that a player six yards from goal, making a diving header for a ball between two opponents, was not judged to have either impacted play or potentially impacted play remains unanswered. Could the mistake have happened because the VAR was focused on whether Fernandez played the ball? This, currently, appears to be the most logical explanation. In their mid-game post on X explaining the decision, Match Centre wrote: "The VAR also deemed that while in an offside position, Fernandez didn't play the ball." During Sky Sports' match coverage, replays were also shown of the VAR team apparently scrutinising whether or not Fernandez touched the ball as it flew across the six-yard box. So was it the case that the VAR became distracted by fixating on a technicality that didn't actually matter given the offside rule clearly stipulates that a player can be offside regardless of whether or not he touches the ball? Why did the Pro Ref statement say the goal should have been sent for an on-field review? According to Pro Ref, the initial offside decision was made against Erling Haaland. He, though, was onside. The review then moved on to Fernandez, who was correctly deemed to be in an offside position by the VAR team. The problem was that they then apparently, and incorrectly, focused entirely on whether he touched the ball. What the VAR couldn't do, however, was confirm the goal was rightly ruled out - for the Fernandez offside - for the wrong reason - the Haaland offside. Hence Pro Ref's assertion that the VAR ought to have requested referee Michael Oliver make an on-field review in which Oliver would have been asked to make a subjective decision on whether Fernandez impacted play. Was Lammens also impacted by Fernandez? Yes. Replays of Haaland's goal also show that the Manchester United goalkeeper made an initial reaction to Fernandez, raising his arms in anticipation of a header and putting him off balance for when Haaland struck the ball. But Martinez had already been impacted by Fernandez's position, so the goal should have been disallowed regardless of whether Lammens was distracted by Fernandez's attempt to play the ball. Was the on-field decision wrong? Yes and no - the yes because the offside was given against an onside player, the no because the goal should have been ruled out for offside. So the VAR couldn't have definitively ruled out the goal? No. Because the on-field decision was against Haaland, the only course of action, if the process was followed to the letter, was to ask the referee to make an on-field review. Who was the VAR? Sunday's VAR was Matt Donohue. While Donohue has only ever refereed four Premier League games, he has substantial experience as a VAR. In 2025/26, he was the VAR for 24 Premier League matches and six as Assistant VAR. Why didn't TV viewers see offside lines drawn during the game? The Premier League is using semi-automated offside technology this season which provides a kick-point graphic for incidents under review. This is different to the previous process in which the VAR teams would manually place crosshairs to determine offside calls and then draw lines. Did the officials also forget they made a VAR check? One final unanswered question from Manchester's derby is whether the officials also forgot about the VAR check when determining how much added-on time to play at the end of the game. Haaland's goal was scored after 59 minutes and 24 seconds. Following the lengthy review, play didn't restart until 63 minutes and 15 seconds. But despite that delay, and numerous others during the course of the half, just five minutes were added on.

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No Writer
Sep 14
Deep-fried food banned and desserts cut back under new school dinner rules

Sugary drinks and foods such as ice cream and waffles will be limited, while puddings will have to contain or be served with fruit under the first new school food standards for more than a decade. Pizzas, sausages and other foods high in fat and salt will also be restricted in favour of fibrous wholegrains and pulses such as lentils and chickpeas, which will appear on schools' menus at least once a week. A portion of vegetables or salad should accompany, or be worked into every main meal under the new Department for Education guidelines, published on Monday. The measures, which come as all pupils in England from families on universal credit become eligible for free school meals, will take effect a year from now, with secondary schools given until September 2028 to make some of the changes. Around one-in-three children are leaving primary school overweight or obese, while tooth decay is the leading cause of hospital admissions for youngsters aged five to nine. Schools will have to publish their menus and food policies online and be expected to nominate a school food governor who will hold schools to account for the meals on offer. Chef Jamie Oliver, who has campaigned on the issue for more than two decades, said: "It's brilliant to see new school food standards based on the latest science, to make sure the food children get at school is actually supporting their health and helping them thrive." Dame Emma Thompson, who works with the Food Foundation charity, described it as "a milestone worth celebrating and an investment in a healthier future for the next generation". Read more from Sky News:Trump talks up Irish reunificationFire ravages historic mill Schools Minister Georgia Gould told Mornings With Ridge And Frost that parents are "really concerned about the amount of nutrition their children are getting". The changes are designed to make school meals "healthier and tastier", providing a chance "to make sure that children are able to focus on lessons and setting them up for a healthier future", she added. But unions warned the plans will need more funding. Pepe Di'Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said "the current funding rate for free school meals is not enough to cover costs and many schools have to divert money from teaching and learning". Matt Vickers, deputy chairman of the Conservative Party, said: "Our Armed Forces are crumbling, but Andy Burnham has decided his priority is taking pudding off the menu. "The only thing wobblier than Andy Burnham's defence policy is the jelly he's trying to ban."

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Bethany Minelle, news reporter
Sep 13
Fire ravages historic mill featured in Peaky Blinders and Downton Abbey

Firefighters were called to Dalton Mills in Keighley, West Yorkshire, at about 8pm on Saturday. The blaze is the fifth at the Grade II-listed Victorian mill in as many years. Built in the 1860s, it used to be one of the largest textile complexes in Yorkshire, employing thousands of workers in its heyday. Largely unused since the late 1980s, it's now derelict. Twelve fire engines were sent to tackle the blaze, and a number of local residents were evacuated by West Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service (WYFRS). Bradford Council emergency planning officers were on the scene to provide support and guidance. Robbie Moore, the MP for Keighley and Ilkley, called the situation "deeply infuriating", adding: "The situation cannot continue." Dalton Milla was subject to an arson attack in 2011, but after being bought by a businessman in 2013 it underwent a partial renovation, including the restoration of its clock tower. In 2022, the interior was completely destroyed by another fire. In 2024, the Crown Estate took legal responsibility for the building. There was a further arson attack in 2025. More recently, two fires in six days at the derelict site in February 2026 were "deliberate", according to WYFRS. Visiting the site on Saturday night, while efforts to put out the fire were under way, Mr Moore said in a video posted on X: "You already will have seen that we have had another major fire in the centre of Keighley, which is deeply infuriating. "This situation just simply cannot continue. "I've been calling on our local authority to secure this site as best as possible for years now, and this is our next major fire." Crews remained at the scene throughout the night, and while the incident was "ongoing" on Sunday morning, WYFRS said the fire had successfully been brought under control. Sky News has contacted Bradford Council for further comment.

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No Writer
Sep 14
Boris Johnson narrowly escapes drone attack - as Russia accused of 'escalation'

The former UK prime minister was going from the Ukrainian capital Kyiv to Poland at night when there were drone strikes in the border region, Ukrainian Railways said. Ukraine war: Follow latest A drone on Sunday struck a passenger train at Yahodyn station, on the Polish border, shortly after the train carrying Mr Johnson had left ahead of schedule. No casualties were reported, but the strike has prompted a warning about the increasing threat to Europe posed by Russian President Vladimir Putin. Mr Johnson is reported to have been travelling on the same train as the prime minister's national security adviser Jonathan Powell, former Swedish prime minister Carl Bildt, and one of German Chancellor Friedrich Merz's closest advisers, Gunter Sautter, as well as European diplomats. The group had been in Kyiv to discuss possible peace negotiations with Russia with the Ukrainian government, according to German newspaper Der Spiegel. The newspaper said the line between Kyiv and Warsaw had been attacked and a train was struck. Ukrainian foreign minister Andrii Sybiha said that Russian strikes were hitting closer to NATO and EU member Poland. "Putin's terror is literally knocking on the doors of the European Union and NATO," he said. Ukraine's railway operator Ukrzaliznytsia said in a post on Telegram it was "quite possible" that the drone had been aimed at Mr Johnson's train. Read more:Ukraine war latest: How a mother told her daughter her father had been captured The company said the train "had departed the station earlier than scheduled due to real-time adjustments to train timetables necessitated by the constant threat of Russian strikes". Mr Johnson condemned the attack as "random and senseless". He said on X: "I don't know what warped logic drove Putin to blow up a stationary Ukrainian locomotive on the Polish border this morning. "What we can say for sure is that this is the kind of random and senseless attack Ukrainians are enduring every day - even on civilian railways. "So far Putin has been responsible for the deaths of 1,700 staff of Ukrzaliznytsia - Ukrainian Railways. They and their daily passengers are absolutely heroic." Mr Bildt posted a video of a train being evacuated after what appeared to be an explosion on X, and wrote: "This wasn't our train, but the one just minutes after us by the border crossing. "It was evacuated as the Russian drone approached and no one was hurt. Very good safety system. Our train just had an evacuation warning but could proceed to Dorohusk. The Russian attacks against Ukraine are intensifying." Polish foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski said the Russian threat was already "inside the house". Mr Sikorski accused Moscow of waging a "hybrid war" against European nations that went further than cyberattacks, disinformation and espionage to "arson incidents in Poland", "attempts to bring down airliners in Lithuania", and "an attempt to derail a moving train in Poland" - representing an "escalation" in Russian activities. Read more from Sky News:Six dead after ferry overturns in IndonesiaFire ravages mill featured in Peaky Blinders and Downton Abbey Earlier on Sunday, a truck less than a mile from Ukraine's border with Poland was ‌also hit, with operations at the Dorohusk-Yahodyn crossing point being briefly stopped, said border guards. Russia's defence ministry said it had targeted infrastructure facilitating military cargoes from Europe in western Ukraine. With the frontline largely static, both Moscow and Kyiv have intensified long-distance ‌strikes in recent weeks to try to shift momentum in the war. Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump has called on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to stop targeting Russian diesel infrastructure, saying the attacks were causing a shortage of the fuel. "I've asked President Zelenskyy not to hit the diesel plants, refineries. Diesel is being driven up by the fact that it's having a hard time coming out of Russia, and that's the case that hurts the world." A wave of Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian oil refineries in recent months has reduced that country's fuel production, triggering gasoline shortages across the country. Ukraine, which faces regular Russian attacks on its own energy infrastructure, says refineries are legitimate military targets.

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No Writer
Sep 14
Harry Kane, Kylian Mbappe and Lamine Yamal on target plus Ruben Amorim still unbeaten and more in the Euro Debrief

Welcome to The Euro Debrief, a new Sky Sports column in which Adam Bate rounds up some of the key stories from the latest matches across the continent. This week: Kane wins it for BayernValencia's coach sackedAmorim sparks comebackArcher scores for AuxerreKlaassen's Ajax landmarkBundesliga: Kane brings up 150 It took a trademark Harry Kane goal to finally stop Elversberg. England's captain scored his 150th goal for Bayern Munich in the 72nd minute - one with echoes of his winner against DR Congo at the World Cup - as the newcomers were beaten for the first time. Bayern have not yet hit their familiar position at the top of the Bundesliga, however. That is held by Freiburg following their 5-0 win over beleaguered Borussia Monchengladbach, who responded by sacking their coach Eugen Polanski. "We did so many things wrong - something that is inexplicable to me." Those were Polanski's words after losing to Elversberg last weekend. They were worse at Freiburg. Gladbach already look prime candidates for relegation after last season's escape. Bundesliga: Table | Fixtures & resultsWant to watch Bundesliga football? Latest Sky Sports deals or stream games with no contract Borussia Dortmund also retain their 100 per cent record as Felix Nmecha scored two sensational goals to put the gloss on a 3-0 win over Paderborn. But the victory was set up by Fabio Silva, the Portuguese forward making his first Bundesliga start of the season. Silva's goal was his fourth of the campaign, already eclipsing his goal tally for the whole of last season. Dortmund needed him to step up following injuries to both of the club's high-profile new Greek signings and the signs are that he is capable of doing just that. Elsewhere, Dortmund's great rivals Schalke secured their first Bundesliga win since their return to the top flight - unsurprisingly achieving it with just 34 per cent of the ball against Union Berlin. Meanwhile, Niclas Fullkrug scored once again for Werder Bremen. But a special mention for Eintracht Frankfurt goalkeeper Noah Atubolu who extended his extraordinary Bundesliga record by saving a sixth consecutive penalty in his side's 3-1 win at Mainz. Nadiem Amiri had scored his previous 10 but Atubolu is built differently. Bundesliga results: Union Berlin 1-3 Schalke, Augsburg 2-2 Bayer Leverkusen, Borussia Dortmund 3-0 Paderborn, Freiburg 5-0 Borussia Monchengladbach, Hoffenheim 2-1 Stuttgart, Mainz 1-3 Eintracht Frankfurt, Cologne 1-1 Werder Bremen, RB Leipzig 5-0 Hamburg, Elversberg 1-2 Bayern Munich. LaLiga: Did Madrid need Diomande? Barcelona are slacking. Having scored five goals in their last two away games, they had to settle for four against Levante. Lamine Yamal scored two in their 4-2 win, including a penalty. Raphinha seems to have handed over the duties. Aiding the Ballon d'Or bid? Karim Adeyemi scored the best goal of the game, building on his strong start. The firepower at Hansi Flick's disposal is incredible but he will have noted the defending too. Will better teams punish Barca? With 19 goals in four games, maybe it won't matter. LaLiga: Table | Fixtures & results Real Madrid bounced back from that defeat to Real Betis with a 4-1 win over Rayo Vallecano. Kylian Mbappe started and finished the scoring in the Bernabeu with Jude Bellingham also on target but eyes were on Yan Diomande as he made his first start. "He has a lot to learn tactically. But he possesses amazing potential," said Jose Mourinho afterwards. He was more fulsome in praising Diomande's late replacement Arda Guler. "When he came on, he made the difference in the stability of the play." Arda Guler provided the assist for Mbappe's second goal and created five chances in the game - the most of any player all match despite only coming on in the 72nd minute. With so much attacking talent at Madrid, the £120m Diomande signing is a curious one. The former Leipzig winger is so talented, of course, but one suspects Mourinho would have welcomed a holding midfielder instead. While Rodri cannot fix Barca's defensive looseness alone, his decision to go there over Madrid feels like it might decide the title. When it comes to weaknesses, Valencia have plenty. Their defeat to Sevilla saw Carlos Corberan lose his job. It is harsh given his previous work but it has been a pitiful start - one identified by Rodri who lipreaders recently caught commenting on their ineptitude. He was not wrong but there are no signs of Valencia's owner getting it right. This move was sparked in part by the panic at the thought of starting next season in the second tier when Nou Mestalla - their long-awaited 70,000-seater stadium - is finally set to be ready. If inspiration is required, why not look to Galicia where Deportivo A Coruna continue their revival thanks to renaissance man Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. The 37-year-old has scored in the first five games of the season. The all-time record in LaLiga is seven. LaLiga results: Sevilla 1-0 Valencia, Racing Santander 2-1 Alaves, Osasuna 0-2 Espanyol, Athletic Club 1-1 Elche, Real Madrid 4-1 Rayo Vallecano, Celta Vigo 1-1 Malaga, Levante 2-4 Barcelona, Getafe 1-1 Deportivo A Coruna, Real Sociedad 0-3 Atletico Madrid. Serie A: Amorim's Milan stay unbeaten AC Milan came from two goals down at half-time to draw 2-2 with Lazio as Ruben Amorim received credit for a triple substitution at the break. He hooked Luka Modric, Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Pervis Estupinan and was rewarded for his bold changes. Summer signing Diego Moreira came on to score both of the Milan goals. "I'm not mad, I don't make choices to play badly," said Amorim. "We managed to take a point, but if you look at the match, we need to do better, because you can't play for just one half." More than half the crowd in the Stadio Olimpico were supporting Milan as Lazio fans continue to protest against the president Claudio Lotito. The coach Gennaro Gattuso likened it to playing during the pandemic but Lazio do remain unbeaten this season. Serie A: Table | Fixtures & results Juventus, however, saw their unbeaten record in Serie A undone by one of their own. Vasilije Adzic, the 20-year-old Montenegro international on loan at Sassuolo, scored the winner in the 94th minute after Juve themselves had levelled it up in stoppage time. But the performance of the weekend in Italy came from an even younger player as teenager Franco Mastantuono scored a hat-trick for Fiorentina in their 4-2 win at Venezia on Friday. Some response following the sacking of their coach Fabio Grosso. Serie A results: Venezia 2-4 Fiorentina, Genoa 1-1 Frosinone, Lazio 2-2 AC Milan, Atalanta 1-2 Cagliari, Lecce 3-2 Monza, Napoli 1-0 Bologna, Sassuolo 3-2 Juventus. Ligue 1: PSG win, Archer nets again Paris Saint-Germain finally picked up their first win of the Ligue 1 season as Ferran Torres scored the only goal at Brest. The game was notable for Luis Enrique wearing a 'King Eric' shirt in tribute to former Brest coach Eric Roy who died in June aged just 58. Lille moved to the top of the table in France thanks to a goal from Ethan Mbappe, the younger brother of Kylian. Davide Ancelotti has made a really good start in the job despite losing his stars in the summer window. Lille are one of five sides still unbeaten. Ligue 1: Table | Fixtures & results Rennes are among them having inflicted a third consecutive defeat on Marseille. Of the other three, Paris FC and Lyon played out a goalless draw and Monaco salvaged a point at Strasbourg. Paris Brunner scored a stunner to do so and looks to be a massive talent. But special praise must be reserved for Cameron Archer. The on-loan Southampton striker had scored on his debut for Auxerre in defeat last weekend but followed it up with the winning goal against Nice to earn his old boss Will Still his first points in the job. "Will Still asked very early on if there is a chance to get Cam to France," Saints boss Tonda Eckert explained recently. It is easy to see why. Archer's movement was brilliant for his goal, spinning in behind and rounding the goalkeeper. A fantastic start for him. Ligue 1 results: Rennes 1-0 Marseille, Strasbourg 1-1 Monaco, Auxerre 1-0 Nice, Le Havre 0-0 Angers, Lorient 2-2 Toulouse, Paris FC 0-0 Lyon, Lille 2-0 Troyes, Le Mans 2-2 Lens, Brest 0-1 PSG. Elsewhere: Sporting slip up Davy Klaassen, once of Everton, made a bit of history for Ajax because he has now scored an Eredivisie goal for the club at 24 different grounds. Only the great Johan Cruyff has surpassed that achievement. Ajax won the game 5-1 at Fortuna Sittard. That was a modest score compared to the seven that Feyenoord racked up at PEC Zwolle but PSV's 4-1 win over Sparta Rotterdam was arguably the most significant. The reigning champions hit top spot after AZ Alkmaar slipped up late at home to Willem II. In Portugal, Sporting also dropped points late in the game as they conceded in stoppage time at Famalicao despite the home side being down to 10 men. But Porto and Benfica both came from behind to win to set things up nicely for O Classico next weekend.

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