With the help of Diego Costa's provocative antics, Chelsea finally kick-started its season with a win over London rival Arsenal.
Real Madrid and Bayern Munich didn't need any similar shenanigans to secure their wins as the two powerhouses climbed atop their respective league standings - at least for a day.
Here is a look at Europe's major leagues on Saturday:
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ENGLAND
After its stuttering start to the campaign, everything went right for Chelsea in the Premier League as it beat Arsenal 2-0 and then saw leader Manchester City's perfect start end with a 2-1 home loss to West Ham.
Kurt Zouma and Eden Hazard scored for Chelsea, but it was Diego Costa who was the main talking point after he provoked Arsenal defender Gabriel Paulista to lash out with a kick that drew a red card. That came after Costa had swiped at Laurent Koscielny's face and then chested the defender to the ground, but escaped punishment.
Arsenal's Santi Cazorla was also dismissed in the 79th for a late tackle on Cesc Fabregas.
West Ham kept up its stunning away results as Victor Moses put the team ahead after just six minutes with the first league goal City had conceded all season. Diafra Sakho doubled the lead in the 31st, before Kevin De Bruyne pulled a goal back for City on the stroke of halftime.
The win put West Ham - which also beat Arsenal and Liverpool away - second on 12 points, three behind leader City.
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SPAIN
Karim Benzema scored to help Real Madrid eke out a 1-0 win over Granada and take the overnight lead of the Spanish league, while Fernando Torres netted one goal and set up another to lift Atletico Madrid into second place.
Madrid goalie Keylor Navas thwarted Granada's forwards before Benzema tilted the match in the hosts' favor 10 minutes after halftime with a close-range header.
Madrid has 10 points, one more than Atletico and Barcelona, which can reclaim the league lead against Levante on Sunday.
Torres and Angel Correa both came on as second-half substitutes and inspired Atletico to a 2-0 win at Eibar, leaving Diego Simeone's side ahead of Barcelona on goal difference.
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GERMANY
Sebastian Rode scored one goal and set up another as Bayern Munich moved provisionally top of the Bundesliga with a 3-0 win at promoted Darmstadt.
Arturo Vidal put Bayern ahead before Rode set up Kingsley Coman in the 62nd and then sealed the result a minute later at the second attempt after his first hit the post.
Bayern moved three points clear of Borussia Dortmund with its fifth win from five games. Dortmund, which had been leading on goal difference after four wins, hosts Bayer Leverkusen on Sunday.
Bas Dost scored twice for Wolfsburg to beat Hertha Berlin 2-0 and reclaim third place.
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ITALY
AC Milan beat Palermo 3-2 for only its second win of the season as the visiting side missed the chance to move provisionally top of Serie A.
Carlos Bacca scored twice, including the winner. Giacomo Bonaventura scored Milan's other goal with a free kick.
Palermo twice leveled through Oscar Hiljemark but coach Giuseppe Iachini was sent to the stands shortly before halftime for dissent.
Palermo remained two points behind leader Inter Milan, which visits second-placed Chievo Verona on Sunday.
Empoli also recorded its first victory of the season, coming from behind to win 2-1 at 10-man Udinese.
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FRANCE
Edinson Cavani scored his fifth goal in six French league matches this season but Paris Saint-Germain stuttered again and could only draw 1-1 at Reims.
The defending champion remains unbeaten and is one point above second-placed Rennes.
Cavani, who came off the bench for the last 25 minutes, leveled in the 84th minute from Javier Pastore's pass almost immediately after substitute forward Jordan Siebatcheu had put the hosts ahead.
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