Early-Season Surprises in Europe: Is the Gap Between the Big Clubs and Underdogs Getting Smaller?

It did not take long for the new season to produce some major surprises across Europe’s top leagues.

Teams that were expected to focus primarily on survival have started the campaign without showing any fear of the traditional giants. At the same time, some title contenders are already discovering that taking three points against newly promoted sides may be far more difficult than expected.

From Germany to Spain, the message from the opening weeks is becoming clear: a big name alone is no longer enough to win matches.

Schalke Are Back — and They Stop Bayern Munich

After returning to the Bundesliga, it was natural for most expectations surrounding Schalke 04 to focus on whether the club could simply secure its place in the top flight.

However, Schalke have already started sending a very different message.

Against Bayern Munich, Schalke managed to secure an impressive 0-0 draw, keeping one of Germany’s most dangerous attacking teams off the scoresheet.

Preventing Bayern from scoring is an achievement in itself, especially for a team that has only recently returned to the Bundesliga.

More importantly, Schalke are beginning to show that they do not intend to approach the season simply as a battle for survival.

Elversberg: The Promoted Side That Refuses to Give Up

Schalke are not the only interesting story coming out of Germany.

Elversberg, playing their first Bundesliga season, produced one of the most dramatic matches of the early campaign against Borussia Mönchengladbach.

The newly promoted side found themselves 3-1 down, but instead of accepting defeat, they produced a remarkable comeback and eventually won 4-3, scoring the decisive goal in the 92nd minute.

It was their second victory in their opening two matches.

A start like this demonstrates that promoted clubs do not necessarily have to enter the top flight with a defensive mentality and simply wait for opportunities to survive.

Deportivo Return to La Liga With Different Ambitions

In Spain, Deportivo La Coruña are providing another fascinating early-season story.

The historic club returned to La Liga after a long absence, but they have shown little interest in simply being a temporary guest in the competition.

Deportivo started the campaign unbeaten and climbed into the top five, immediately attracting attention with their performances.

Veteran striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has also emerged as one of the symbols of Deportivo’s return, finding the net in each of his first four league appearances.

At 37 years old, Aubameyang is showing that experience can still make a major difference at the highest level.

Why Are Promoted Teams Becoming More Dangerous?

Modern football has changed considerably.

A newly promoted side with strong defensive organisation, pace on the counterattack and disciplined pressing does not need to dominate possession to create problems for a bigger opponent.

Against teams that commit several players forward, one mistake or one open space behind the defensive line can be enough to create a clear goalscoring opportunity.

There is also a significant difference in pressure.

The bigger club enters these matches expected to win, while the underdog can often play with greater freedom. The longer the favourite fails to score, the more pressure begins to build.

That is often where surprises begin.

An Important Lesson Before Judging Any Match

The opening weeks of the season provide an important reminder for football fans: never judge a match purely by the names of the two clubs.

Bayern Munich can be stopped by Schalke. A promoted side can recover from a two-goal deficit and win. And a historic club returning after years away from the top division can suddenly find itself competing near the top of the table.

It is still far too early to know which of these teams can maintain their form throughout the season.

But one thing is already becoming clear:

This season’s promoted teams are not here simply to survive — some of them want to become the surprise stories of European football.