With the super cup competitions kicking off this weekend, European football is officially back. The 2017/18 German Bundesliga season gets underway on Saturday in Germany with the DFL Supercup, which is to be contested between bitter rivals Bayern Munich (Bundesliga Champions) and Borussia Dortmund (DFB-Pokal winners). The match is scheduled to be played at the famous Signal Iduna Park in Dortmund.
Pre-season form suggests that Dortmund should have a mental advantage over their rivals, Bayern having lost every game except one. Something that has left manager Carlo Ancelotti worried over his teams' form and fitness.
In the Netherlands, the Johan Cruyff Shield, will be held on Saturday at De Kuip, Rotterdam. The match will be played between Feyenoord Rotterdam (Eredivisie Champions) and SBV Vitesse (KNVB Cup winners). Feyenoord won their first Eredivisie title after 18 years, having last won it in 1999. For Vitesse, it was their first major trophy in the club's history, and they would be desperate to make it two in a year.
In Portugal, The Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira, or Supertaça, would be contested between Benfica (Primeira Liga winners) and Vitória Guimarães (Taça de Portugal winners). The match takes place on Saturday at the Estádio Municipal de Aveiro.
Over to England, where the FA Community shield will kick-off the Premier League season this Sunday. Chelsea (Premier League champions) will play cross-town bitter rivals Arsenal (FA Cup champions) at Wembley. A typical London derby. And there's the small matter of a trophy to be won.
In midweek, the Uefa Super Cup Final takes place at the Philip II Arena, Skopje between Real Madrid (Uefa Champions League winners) and Manchester United (Uefa Europa League winners). Two of the biggest clubs of world football, Real holds the upper hand here having recently won the Double last season.
This will be followed by Supercoppa Italiana between Juventus (Serie A winners) and SS Lazio (Coppa Italia winners) next weekend on 14 August at the Stadio Olympico in Rome.
On that same weekend, we have the first leg of the El Clásico for the Supercopa de España between Real Madrid (La Liga Champions) and Barcelona (Copa del Rey champions). Supercopa de España is the only super cup competition in the elite leagues of Europe that is played over two legs (home and away).
