We just started ... and now it's break time. After four matchdays in Spain, three in England, Italy and France and only two in Germany, the first international break of the 2024-25 season is already here. The season began in absurdly disjointed fashion, and such a quick break feels particularly unnecessary after a summer that saw major tournaments such as Euro 2024. (The U.S. hasn't even officially hired its new coach yet after firing the last one after Copa America.) Still, the break is probably welcome for a few teams that suffered false starts in August.
It's too early for any team to truly panic -- except maybe Everton, who should feel free to do so -- but some of Europe's most celebrated clubs head into this (absurd and unnecessary) break with problems to address and goals that feel less likely than they did at the start of the season. From Real Madrid dropping points (unacceptable at all times), to AC Milan and Spurs getting sliced apart in transition, to Manchester United and Roma forgetting how to shoot, to Valencia creating nothing of value, to Bayer Leverkusen losing (!!!), let's talk about seven major clubs and just how close they should be to pressing the panic button.