Europe’s party crashers
These are the surprise clubs rocking Europe's established order and breathing life into some of its biggest leagues.
A glance at the league tables across Europe indicates that all is not right in the traditional football power bases. Some of the big clubs accustomed to dominating their respective league are being challenged by audacious upstarts intent on basking in the same sort of glow resonating from Leicester during it's fabled run to the Premier League title last season.
Here are the biggest 'party crashers' of the lot.
Nice - first, Ligue 1
With a rejuvenated Mario Balotelli leading the line, it’s hard not to root for Nice, which has left cashed-up Monaco and PSG in its wake at the top of the Ligue 1 table.
Operating on a shoestring budget, the club hasn’t won a trophy since its Coupe de France triumph in 1997 and seems intent on spoiling PSG's bid to win a fifth consecutive Ligue 1 title.
Nice appeared set for a horror season after losing star striker Hatem Ben Arfa to the Parisian giant in the off-season. Eyebrows were raised when Lucien Favre decided to take a punt on Mario Balotelli, who joined the club after managing just three goals two horrid seasons at Liverpool and AC Milan.
The gamble has paid off big time, with a reinvigorated Balotelli scoring six goals in his first six league games this season as Nice has made a stunning ascent to the top of French football.
İstanbul Başakşehir F.K - first, Turkish Super Lig
İstanbul Başakşehir F.K has had three names and zero trophies since it was founded in 1990. Liverpool hasn’t won the League title in this club's existence.
With eight wins and two draws in its first 10 games this season, Başakşehir is sitting pretty at the top of the table, conceding just one goal away from home this season and blazing a trail ahead of traditional giants Besiktas, Galatasaray and Fenerbahce.
A top four regular in the past couple of seasons, Başakşehir fans will be hoping their club can go one better this time and kick on from its strong start to the season.
Red Bull Leipzig - second, Bundesliga
Red Bull Leipzig’s rise has been nothing short of incredible, sharing top-spot with German powerhouse Bayern Munich in the club's first season in the top-flight.
Leipzig was founded in 2007 by Energy drink brand Red Bull GmbH, which purchased the playing rights of fifth division side SSV Marranstadt with the goal of promoting the club to the Bundesliga within eight years. That dream became a reality this season.
Little was expected from the Bundesliga newcomer, but Leipzig has defied expectations with seven wins and three draws in its first 10 matches.
It hasn't been all smooth sailing for Leipzig, the club's ‘new money’ has attracted the ire of fans who don’t appreciate its rapid rise under with the backing of Red Bull.
Take supporters of 2 Bundesliga club Dynamo Dresden for example, who caused their club to be fined $85,000 after they threw a bull's head onto the field during the DFB Pokal clash with Leipzig on Saturday (AEDT).
Regardless of what you think of the club's history, you have to applaud what Ralf Rangnick's men have accomplished so far this season.
Hoffenheim - third, Bundesliga
In the 1990s Hoffenheim was a local amateur side playing in the eighth division, before a meteoric rise saw the club climb up the ranks of German football, eventually securing Bundesliga promotion in 2008.
The club has survived the drop since, but fans are growing tired of mediocrity and want to see the club challenging for a spot in Europe.
Those prayers may have finally been answered, after four consecutive wins propelled Hoffenheim to third on the Bundesliga table, a remarkable turn-around after narrowly avoiding relegation last season.
Atalanta - fifth, Serie A
Highly regarded for its consistency, with 53 seasons in Serie A (ranked 11th overall), 109 year-old Atalanta is yet to reap the fruits of its labour and win the League title.
However, fans have plenty of reasons to be optimistic, with the 'Goddess' on the cusp of the top four, while unearthing a young gem in the process - 19 year-old midfielder Franck Kessie, the club’s top goalscorer this season with four goals in 10 appearances.
If Atlanata can keep this up, Italy's 'mr consistency' could be in for something special.