Paris giants are the most dominant team across the five major leagues, followed by Bayern and Barcelona. Overview of the top five leagues: Arsenal and Bayern are dominant, there is strong balance in Italy, and two pairs stand out in France (PSG and Marseille) and Spain (Real Madrid and Barcelona).
After the final international break of the year, the five major European leagues resumed on Friday, entering a long, uninterrupted run of fixtures that will stretch into March, when the next stoppage for international duty arrives.
This phase of the season is often decisive: squads are tested physically, injuries accumulate, and fixture congestion forces managers to rotate and adapt. In several leagues, the first third of the campaign has not even been completed yet, such as in England, Italy and Germany, where everything remains tightly contested. Still, some patterns are already emerging. One of the clearest comes from the Bundesliga, where the familiar dominance of Bayern Munich is once again on display. Champions in 12 of the last 13 seasons, Bayern have already created a six-point cushion at the top, asserting control at a stage where most of their rivals are still finding stability.
According to the CIES Football Observatory, Bayern are now the second-most active team in Europe when it comes to ball circulation in the attacking third, completing an average of 171.5 passes per match in that zone. Such numbers highlight a team that plays the majority of its football close to the opposition’s penalty area, constantly pressuring, squeezing, and suffocating any attempt by opponents to play out or reorganise. Their playing style underlines a clear intention: dominate space, dominate possession, and reduce opponents to defending for long stretches. That approach has translated into results, with Bayern winning nine of their first ten matches and showing few signs of slowing down.
Yet, remarkably, even Bayern’s numbers are overshadowed by a team operating at an even higher level in terms of attacking-third involvement: Paris Saint-Germain. PSG lead the entire European ranking with an impressive average of 196.3 passes per match in the final third. The Parisian side have adopted a bold, front-foot identity this season under a refreshed midfield anchored by Portuguese duo João Neves and Vitinha. Their influence has been central in transforming PSG into a relentless territorial force, constantly setting the tempo, recycling possession, and forcing opponents deep into their own defensives lines.
However, PSG’s dominance in passing metrics has not always translated into straightforward victories. They have enjoyed long stretches of control without consistently converting that superiority into goals. This campaign, Marseille have emerged as a credible and determined challenger. Their 5-1 demolition of Nice away from home yesterday sent a strong message and temporarily put them at the top of Ligue 1. PSG, though, have the opportunity to reclaim the lead today with a home match against Le Havre, one of the more accessible fixtures on paper. Even so, the pressure is mounting: PSG’s numbers promise dominance, but Marseille’s efficiency is keeping the title race alive.
Opposition hoping for Spurs in the London derby
The ranking of final-third passes continues with Barcelona (161.8) and Real Madrid (159.6), two giants who have once again taken control of La Liga. Both sides have been inseparable in many aspects this season, advancing in sync as they often do in campaigns where only consistency can separate them. As the league enters its second third, Real Madrid sit top with a three-point lead over Barcelona, while Atlético Madrid remain the closest challenger, six points behind. Villarreal sit between them in the table, but their inconsistencies have made many sceptical about their ability to sustain a title push.
Barcelona face a difficult test today at home against the tactically stubborn Athletic Bilbao, a team known for disrupting rhythm and winning duels all over the pitch. Real Madrid, meanwhile, travel to face Elche, a side performing above expectations this season but currently winless in their last five games. The outcomes of these fixtures could further shape the delicate balance at the top, especially with both Real and Barça desperate to avoid slipping during this congested period.
In the Premier League, attention shifts to tomorrow’s North London derby between Arsenal and Tottenham. Arsenal sit comfortably at the summit, four points ahead of Manchester City, while Chelsea and Liverpool are six and eight points behind, respectively. This creates a rare scenario in which three major rivals are firmly hoping that Spurs can disrupt Arsenal’s momentum. The match will also mark Arsenal’s first outing without Gabriel Magalhães, their defensive cornerstone, who has been sidelined with an injury. His absence adds another layer of unpredictability to an already heated derby.
Italy offers a different kind of spectacle this season: pure equilibrium. Four teams are separated by only two points at the top. Inter and Roma lead with 24 points each, closely followed by AC Milan and Napoli on 22. Juventus, with 19, are lurking dangerously and looking to take advantage of any slip. Their upcoming match against Fiorentina will be another tough examination. But the spotlight match in Serie A is undoubtedly the Derby della Madonnina, taking place tomorrow. Inter and AC Milan clash in a fixture that could either widen the gap to five points or allow the Rossoneri to leapfrog their rivals. With tactical innovation, high tempo, and emotional tension expected, this derby may prove pivotal in shaping the Scudetto race.
Liverpool the odd one out at the top
Among the most dominant clubs in Europe based on final-third passing statistics, one name stands out for reasons that differ from the rest: Liverpool. The Reds sit eighth in the ranking yet remain eighth in the Premier League table, eight points behind leaders Arsenal. Their aggressive, high-risk approach in possession has not yet translated into performances or results that match their ambitions. While Liverpool’s final-third involvement suggests a team eager to control games and press high, their inconsistencies in defence and finishing have prevented them from climbing higher. They are, in many ways, the outlier among elite clubs this season: statistically dominant in key areas, yet stuck in mid-table.
As Europe’s leagues push toward the intense winter schedule, trends are beginning to crystallise. Bayern and PSG dominate through territorial control. Real Madrid and Barcelona march forward like twin forces locked in synchrony. England braces for a derby with major implications for the title race. Italy stands on the verge of a seismic derby that could redefine its season. And Liverpool remain a puzzle: dangerous, dominant in phases, yet unable so far to reflect that on the table.
The next months will test depth, resolve, and resilience. What seems clear already is that this season in Europe’s top leagues is heading toward one of the most competitive and tactically diverse winters in recent memory.
