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Real Madrid met promoted team Real Sporting de Gijón at the Bernabéu on Wednesday night and it was another festival of goals for last season's league champion. With a seven to one win Real Madrid substantiated their ambitions to climb to number one in the league table.

Rafael van der Vaart scored three times (minutes 18, 33 and 47), Raúl twice (minutes 59 and 65) and Gonzalo Higuaín (minute 37) and Arjen Robben (minute 52) once. Gijón's Kike Mako scored the consolation goal in minute 54. Having lost all four league matches so far they are at the last place of the league table, while Real Madrid moved up to number two..

On Saturday evening Real Madrid faced Real Betis Balompié at Sevilla's Ruiz de Lopera. Madrid's coach Bernd Schuster, concerned with the upcoming Champions League match against Zenit St. Petersburg next Tuesday, left Fabio Cannavaro in Madrid to rest. Instead, he called Christoph Metzelder into the squad that travelled south to Andalucía.

Nineteen minutes into the game Gabriel Heinze scored the first goal for Real Madrid, following a free-kick from Rafael van der Vaart. Real Madrid took the lead but Betis followed suit, testing Iker Casillas a few times in the first half.

Ten minutes into the second half Sergio García scored the equaliser. Shortly afterwards Real Madrid's Marcelo Vieira was sent off with a red card for repeated foul play. The game sagged slightly until Real Madrid took the lead again and prevented Betis from taking advantage of their superior number.

Betis were down to ten players, too, in minute 82 when goal scorer Sergio García was sent off for repeated foul play. Then Real Madrid surged forward to score the winning goal. Finally, in minute 92, Ruud van Nistelrooy scored the second goal for Real Madrid and his 60th for Real Madrid altogether.

Having lost two matches in a row within four days, Borussia Dortmund booked two impressive wins within four days and showed the fighting spirit they are renowned for.

Wednesday night's match against Hertha BSC Berlin, the second round in the DFB (German Football Association) Trophy, ended with a two one win for Borussia Dortmund.

Alexander Frei scored the first goal for Borussia Dortmund with a penalty after foul play seven minutes into the match. Fifteen minutes later Marko Pantelic scored for Hertha BSC Berlin. The regular playing period ended with this result so 2x15 minutes extra time were necessary.

The cautious play with scoring chances few and far between turned more open during extra time. In minute 103 Diego Klimowicz scored the winning goal for Borussia Dortmund, sending the majority of the 30012 spectators into a frenzy. This was the kind of play the spectators had been wanting to, but didn't, see in the previous matches. Borussia Dortmund showed more self-confidence and was rewarded deservedly.

Backed up by this win Borussia Dortmund met VFB Stuttgart on Saturday afternoon for a Bundesliga match. It was tenth (Borussia Dortmund) against third (VFB Stuttgart) of the league table but after 90 minutes the tide had turned. Borussia Dortmund climbed to number five while VFB Suttgart dropped to number seven.

What had happened? Borussia Dortmund scored three goals (Tamas Hajnal in minute ten, Felipe Santana in minute 20 and Alexander Frei in minute 73) while VFB Stuttgart's chances came to nothing. It was probably the best match Borussia Dortmund played this season. Especially in the first half the pace and combination play was impressive.

The supporters of Borussia Dortmund among the 71200 spectators were delighted with their team and kept chanting well after the final whistle. This win will certainly boost Borussia Dortmund's morale to fight Udinese Calcio next Thursday in the second leg of the UEFA trophy.

Real Madrid booked their second win in La Liga with a two nil against Racing Santander at El Sardinero. They are now at number six in the league table, still a far cry from the position they think they ought to be at.

Considering the five bookings for Real Madrid, while Racing Santander received none, and the fact that the two goals were scored well into the second half (Rubén de la Red in minute 55 and Ruud van Nistelrooy in minute 75), the win was the result of effort and perseverance. The first half was a struggle on either side, but the play improved in the second half. Both goals were scored following a counter, showing off Real Madrid's skill in taking over.

German centre-back Christoph Metzelder, who was self-critical after last Sunday's four to three win against newcomer CD Numancia at the Bernabéu, was not included in the squad travelling north to Santander on league day three.

Borussia Dortmund met promoted team TSG Hoffenheim in Mannheim on Sunday evening. And what a bitter evening it turned out to be. Borussia Dortmund was defeated, once again, having lost two nil against Italian side Udinese Calcio on Thursday night in their first match in UEFA Cup.

After the three to three draw that felt like a win against archrival S****** 04 on Saturday of last week Borussia Dortmund must have thought the most important match of the season was played and things would go smoothly from now on. What a misconception that was – the return to the European stage after an absence of almost five years ended in a bitter loss against visiting team Udinese Calcio. The Italian team scored twice (Floro Flores in minute eight and Gokhan Inler in minute 34), while Borussia Dortmund only had two noteworthy chances (Florian Kringe and Tamas Hajnal) that came to nothing.

It seemed that almost nothing on Borussia Dortmund's side came to anything that night. They were hit on the break time and again, lacking the means or courage to put an end to it. This result puts Borussia Dortmund in an almost hopeless position when they face Udinese Calcio in their Stadio Friuli on October, 2.

Sadly, Borussia Dortmund's downfall continued four days later in the Bundesliga match against newcomer TSG Hoffenheim. The match was played in the Carl-Benz-Arena in Mannheim, about 50 km to the north-east because Hoffenheim does not have a stadium to house such an event yet. Their new stadium is still being built and due to completion in the beginning of 2009.

Hoffenheim, who are backed financially by SAP co-founder Dietmar Hopp, dominated the entire match with fast play and successful combinations. Vedad Ibisevic (minutes five and 47), Sejad Salihovic (minute 25) and Carlos Eduardo (minute 67) scored the four goals for Hoffenheim. Felipe Santana scored the consolation goal for Dortmund in stoppage time.

It was the first loss for Borussia Dortmund in this Bundesliga season, bringing them down from number four to number ten in the league table, while Hoffenheim gained four places and is at number two now. Borussia Dortmund face Hertha BSC Berlin, current number nine in the Bundesliga, in the DFB (German Football Association) Trophy on Wednesday night. It remains to be seen whether Borussia Dortmund have learned from these two bitter defeats and put up a fight.

Real Madrid faced Belarussian Premier League's current number one, BATE Borisov, on the first matchday of the Champions League. The match had a smack of David vs. Goliath with BATE Borisov never having played in the Champions League and Real Madrid winning the trophy nine times.

Yet BATE Borisov, the underdog in Group H, never posed a real threat to Real Madrid. Sergio Ramos scored the first goal eleven minutes into the match. Ruud van Nistelrooy followed suit in minute 57.

BATE Borisov had only ten men on the pitch after Anri Khagush was sent off with a yellow-red card in minute 62, but Real Madrid did not take advantage of it. It was, all in all, a rather uninspired and lacklustre performance of Real Madrid, a win to tick off before moving on.

Real Madrid are now number one in Group H. They face Zenit St. Petersburg, who lost against Juventus Turin tonight, at the Petrovsky Stadium on 30 September, while BATE Borisov meet Juventus Turin on their turf, the Borisov City Stadium.

Real Madrid, last season's campeones, faced Club Deportivo Numancia de Soria, who were promoted from Segunda División at the end of last season. However, CD Numancia won their first league match against FC Barcelona while Real Madrid lost theirs against Deportivo La Coruña two weeks ago. Thus, the starting situation was tough for Real Madrid who are doomed to win. Real Madrid's coach Bernd Schuster drafted in centre-backs Christoph Metzelder and Pepe to give Gabriel Heinze and Fabio Cannavaro some rest, it was said. Raúl was also out, recovering from some niggle, but said to be sent in later on.

Numancia took the lead only six minutes into the match when Juan Carlos Moreno scored with a header. This was the third goal against Real Madrid in the second league match, taking place after a dead-ball situation. Real Madrid's defence looked disoriented and the players didn't manage to position themselves advantageously.

It was Guti in minute 19 who scored the 5,000 goal for Real Madrid in the Primera División, breaking even with Numancia. Only three minutes later, however, José Barkero scored for Numancia. Another four minutes later it was Gonzalo Higuaín's turn and he duly scored the equaliser.

Rafael van der Vaart scored his first goal in La Liga with a powerful shot in minute 33. Only six minutes later Guti's corner kick lead to the fourth goal for Real Madrid when Numancia's Domingo Cisma headed it into the goal by accident.

Numancia tried hard to get back into the game. Juan Carlos Moreno scored the third goal for Numancia with a free-kick in minute 55, marking the three to four for Numancia that was also to be the final score. In minute 70 Bernd Schuster called Ruud van Nistelrooy and Rafael van der Vart off the pitch, sending in Raúl and Rubén de la Red to make pace but there were no more goals.

An unpleasant situation occurred in minute 75 with Christoph Metzelder and Mahamadou Diarra butting heads and going down, Diarra hardly conscious and Christoph Metzelder with a nasty gash at the right side of his head. Christoph Metzelder was seen to at the sideline (the gash was stapled) and returned to the match four minutes later.

Eight minutes before the final whistle Gonzalo Higuaín left to make place for Royston Drenthe, but that didn't turn the match in any way. Real Madrid won four to three and are now at number eight of the league table. CD Numancia is at number nine, but both teams are equal on points.

On a clear and crisp afternoon Borussia Dortmund faced the team of Herne-West for the 132nd "Revierderby" (football match between these two clubs of the Ruhr area). It was third against first of the Bundesliga and a match every supporter looks forward to for weeks each season. The rivalry between Borussia Dortmund and S****** 04 is legendary and, this time, Borussia's supporters were keen on revenge because S****** 04 had won both matches in the previous season.

Borussia Dortmund took the lead in beginning of the first half, with chances for Florian Kringe (third and thirteenth minute) and Mohamed Zidan (fifth minute). After that the match heated up and many fouls stopped the flow of play. Then, all of a sudden S****** 04 scored, with a penalty caused by Neven Subotic's handball (20th minute). Farfan beat Roman Weidenfeller, who had returned to the goal after healing his wound (he slashed his thigh with his own stud in the match against Bayer Leverkusen four weeks ago). This goal against Borussia Dortmund broke their rhythm and paved the way for S****** 04 . Jefferson Farfan profited from an assist by Heiko Westermann and scored the two nil in minute 39. The first half was tainted by the referee's arguable performance.

The second half began with Alex Frei returning on stage after healing the intra-articular ligament rupture in his left knee that he had incurred in the opening match of the EURO 2008. Frei substituted Nelson Valdez who left due to injury. Although Borussia Dortmund tried hard, S****** 04 was the more effective team. Westermann scored three nil in minute 54, assisted by Kevin Kuranyi's header. Three minutes later Mohamed Zidan had the chance to score for Borussia Dortmund but S****** 04's goalie Ralf Fährmann saved. These were bitter moments for Borussia Dortmund's supporters because S****** 04 took the lead, getting chances that, fortunately, came to nothing.

Yet Borussia Dortmund didn't give up and it was Neven Subotic in minute 67 who scored the redeeming three one. This seemed to have been the wake-up call for team and supporters, who got over the stupor they had relapsed into. The match clearly tipped in Borussia Dortmund's favour. Frei scored the second goal for Borussia Dortmund in minute 70. Who cares if it was scored after a slightly offside position – the supporters on the terraces went berserk – and the away team's supporters went very, very quiet.

Unfortunately, the S****** 04 players went beserk on the pitch. Christian Pander was sent off for repeated foul play in minute 73 and only three minutes later Fabian Ernst followed after a rude foul against Kuba. Another penalty, caused by a handball of Mladen Krstajic and confidently scored by Alexander Frei in minute 89, marked the final result. The referee dispensed with a few minutes stoppage time that everybody had expected, but he was probably more occupied with a safe retreat into the dressing room.

The draw kicked S****** 04 from their first position of the league table to number three and Borussia Dortmund moved to number four, but both teams are still equal on points. However, it was a felt victory for Borussia Dortmund, going behind three times but never really giving up and leaving the pitch the superior team.

At almost arctic temperatures the German national team managed to secure a draw against Finland in Helsinki in its second qualifier to the 2010 World Cup.

The match started with the Finnish team in the offensive, but soon the German team took the lead. Piotr Trochowski had two chances in minutes ten and eleven, but Finnish goalkeeper Jussi Jässkeläinen warded them off. A minute later Simon Rolfes missed when shooting at the goal from a distance of ten metres.

Yet the best chance for the lead had Miroslav Klose in the 31st minute when he received a pass from Bastian Schweinsteiger that he failed to take properly. Then the Finns took over. Jonatan Johansson took advantage of positional errors in the German defence, scoring one nil in the 33rd minute. Two minutes later Heiko Westermann could have equalised but his header missed the goal. Miroslav Klose scored the equaliser with a long-range shot of twelve metres after a pass from Piotr Trochowski in minute 38. Towards the end of the first half the match got a bit hectic. First, Mika Väyrynen scored two one, but then the German team charged and in the end Miroslav Klose scored his second goal of the night in minute 45.

The second half started like the first with the Finnish team getting a head start. The third goal for Finland, scored by Daniel Sjölund in minute 53, was caused by a positional error in the German back line, again. The match then went back and forth, but lacking noteworthy chances on both sides. Probably the best chance had Mario Gómez who managed to miss the vacated goal from a distance of three metres in minute 79.

It was Miroslav Klose again who scored the third goal for Germany and his third goal in the match in minute 83. The situation preceding his goal was a bit hectic but Miroslav Klose got the better of the confusion and poked the ball home. He even had it on him to score the winning goal in the last minute, but the situation came to nothing.

The final score (3:3) proved the Finnish team to be an unpleasant opponent not to be taken lightly. Finland gained the lead three times and the Germans owe it to an ever-present Miroslav Klose that they managed to draw even each time. The defence, especially the two centre-backs, could not come up to expectations. This might be the chance for Christoph Metzelder, who – with 47 caps to his name – possesses the substantial experience the team lacked tonight. Let's keep our fingers crossed that Joachim Löw considers the former player for Borussia Dortmund when the German national team comes to Dortmund for the 2010 World Cup qualifier against Russia in October.

The German national team started off its World Cup qualifying tour with the match against Liechtenstein. Quite unsurprisingly, Germany, currently at number three in FIFA world ranking, beat Liechtenstein, the current number 130, six nil in a match that was onesided for most of its duration.

The match started off well for Germany in the fourth minute when Piotr Trochowski shot at the goal from a short distance and Liechtenstein's goalkeeper Peter Jehle ran out to catch the ball. Eight minutes later it was Bastian Schweinsteiger's turn to test Peter Jehle.

Goals started falling in the 21st minute when Lukas Podolski scored after a one-two pass with Piotr Trochowski. A minute later it was Trochowski's chance but his shot missed the goal, as did the attempts of Thomas Hitzlsperger (30) and captain Miroslav Klose (35).

Although Liechtenstein tried hard to produce chances, the German central defense with Heiko Westermann and Serdar Tasci prevented them. Only Benjamin Fischer managed to get a shot at the goal in the tenth minute, hitting the outer net.

The second half had barely started when Lukas Podolski scored two nil in the 48th minute, again after an assist of Piotr Trochowski. Then in minute 65 Miroslav Klose was substituted by Mario Gomez and Bastian Schweinsteiger was team captain. This marked the start of a shower of goals, with Simon Rolfes scoring his first goal for Germany in the 65th minute and Bastian Schweinsteiger scoring a mere minute later.

Further ten minutes into the match Thomas Hitzlsperger scored with a diverted free kick. Four minutes before the final whistle it was Heiko Westermann's turn with a header, following a corner for Germany.

Liechtenstein seemed to be almost wiped out in the second half, only getting near the goal when Martin Büschel's long distance shot after the one and only corner for Liechtenstein came to nothing in the 61st minute.

The 7842 spectators in Vaduz' Rhinepark Stadium saw a German team eager to play and take its chances and a home team trying hard in the first half but despairing in the second half. Christoph Metzelder didn't get the chance to have his jersey soaked through in the downpour of Vaduz. Just like two and a half weeks ago when Germany played against Belgium in Nuremberg, Germany's coach Joachim Löw decided to do without the services of Real Madrid's centre-back.