Europa League: Bournemouth beat 10-man Milan 3-0, Palace draw in Istanbul
Bournemouth made it three wins from three by beating AC Milan 3-0, Crystal Palace drew 2-2 at Beşiktaş and Sunderland stayed unbeaten in Poznań on Europa League matchday 3.
At a glance
- Bournemouth beat AC Milan 3-0 in the Europa League on Thursday, October 22, 2026, with penalties from Justin Kluivert and Marcus Tavernier and a late Amine Adli free-kick; Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan was sent off.
- Crystal Palace drew 2-2 at Beşiktaş: Yeremy Pino and Jean-Philippe Mateta struck after the break, but Junior Olaitan equalised before Beşiktaş had Ümit Akdağ sent off.
- Sunderland drew 1-1 at Lech Poznań and Juventus were held 2-2 by Rennes, while Real Sociedad won 6-0 at Lillestrøm.
- Bournemouth, Benfica, Leverkusen, Ferencváros and Olympiacos have won all three league-phase games; Leverkusen have not conceded.
Bournemouth beat AC Milan 3-0 at the Vitality Stadium on Thursday, October 22, 2026, to stay perfect after three games of the Europa League league phase, while Crystal Palace drew 2-2 at Beşiktaş in Istanbul and Sunderland remained unbeaten with a 1-1 draw at Lech Poznań. Milan, seven-time European champions, slipped to their second defeat of the campaign after goalkeeper Mike Maignan was sent off.
Bournemouth 3-0 Milan
Bournemouth took control in the first half with two penalties: Justin Kluivert and Marcus Tavernier both scored from the spot, and Milan were reduced to ten men when Mike Maignan was shown a red card. The English side kept pushing after the break and Amine Adli completed the win with a free-kick six minutes from time. It was one of the most impressive results in the club's short European history and leaves them among five sides with a 100% record.
Beşiktaş 2-2 Crystal Palace
Palace had a goal from Jean-Philippe Mateta ruled out by VAR early on, and Wilfred Ndidi gave Beşiktaş the lead in first-half stoppage time. Palace turned the game around in five minutes after the interval: Yeremy Pino levelled in the 50th minute and Mateta made it 2-1 in the 54th. Junior Olaitan equalised for the hosts in the 73rd minute, and four minutes later Beşiktaş defender Ümit Akdağ was sent off for a second booking after a late challenge on Jørgen Strand Larsen. Palace could not find a winner against ten men.
Full matchday 3 results
| Match | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Bournemouth v AC Milan | 3-0 | Kluivert pen, Tavernier pen, Adli; Maignan sent off |
| Beşiktaş v Crystal Palace | 2-2 | Ndidi, Olaitan; Pino, Mateta; Akdağ sent off |
| Lech Poznań v Sunderland | 1-1 | Tutierov 2'; Bengtsson 70' |
| Juventus v Rennes | 2-2 | Çelik, Woltemade pen; Al-Taamari, Dia pen |
| Celtic v Celta Vigo | 1-2 | Javi Rodríguez two goals in four minutes |
| Lillestrøm v Real Sociedad | 0-6 | Sergio Gómez 2, Luka Sučić 2 |
| Omonia v Benfica | 1-4 | |
| Hoffenheim v Lyon | 3-0 | |
| Ararat-Armenia v AZ Alkmaar | 0-4 | Weslley Patati 2 |
| Ferencváros v Torreense | 4-1 | |
| GNK Dinamo v NEC Nijmegen | 2-4 | |
| OFI Crete v Bayer Leverkusen | 0-2 | |
| Union Saint-Gilloise v Hapoel Beer-Sheva | 4-0 | |
| Sturm Graz v Marseille | 1-0 | |
| Viktoria Plzeň v Levski Sofia | 1-2 | |
| Jagiellonia v Anderlecht | 0-3 | 17-year-old Jayden Onia Seke scored |
| Celje v Red Bull Salzburg | 2-2 | |
| Olympiacos v Sparta Prague | 1-0 |
Other talking points
- Juventus were held at home by Rennes. Zeki Çelik scored inside five minutes, Musa Al-Taamari equalised and Boulaye Dia put Rennes ahead from the spot before half-time, before Nick Woltemade levelled with a 66th-minute penalty — his third goal of the campaign.
- Sunderland, back in Europe for the first time in decades, scored after two minutes through Timur Tutierov and held on until Leo Bengtsson's 70th-minute equaliser for Lech.
- Real Sociedad hit six in Norway, and Hoffenheim beat Lyon 3-0.
- Celtic lost 2-1 at home to Celta Vigo, with Javi Rodríguez scoring twice in four minutes.
- Marseille lost 1-0 at Sturm Graz, and Olympiacos beat Sparta Prague 1-0 to keep their perfect record.
Background: the league-phase format
The 2026/27 Europa League uses a single 36-team league table. Each club plays eight different opponents, four at home and four away. The top eight qualify directly for the last 16, teams ranked 9th to 24th go into a knockout play-off, and the bottom 12 are eliminated. After three rounds, Bournemouth, Benfica, Bayer Leverkusen, Ferencváros and Olympiacos have nine points each, and Leverkusen are the only side yet to concede.
Reactions
UEFA's own round-up described Bournemouth's win as dominant, and the result is the biggest scalp of the club's European adventure so far. For Milan, a red card and two conceded penalties summed up a difficult night and left them with two defeats from three. Crystal Palace opened a player-of-the-match vote for fans after a game in which they led in Istanbul but had to settle for a point.
Why it matters
The results are a strong night for the Premier League's smaller clubs in Europe: Bournemouth are well placed for a top-eight finish, and Palace and Sunderland are unbeaten. For Milan and Marseille, defeats increase the pressure ahead of busy domestic schedules. The UEFA coefficient points earned also count toward the number of Champions League places each country receives in future seasons.
What happens next
- Matchday 4 of the league phase is played in early November 2026.
- The league phase finishes with matchday 8 in January 2027, followed by the knockout play-offs in February.
- The Europa League final is scheduled for May 2027.
How to watch
Europa League matches are broadcast by UEFA's rights partners in each country; in Pakistan and much of South Asia, check the local sports channel or streaming service holding UEFA club competition rights, and UEFA's official website and app carry highlights after each matchday.
Questions people are asking
What was the score in Bournemouth vs Milan?
Bournemouth beat AC Milan 3-0 in the Europa League on October 22, 2026. Justin Kluivert and Marcus Tavernier scored first-half penalties and Amine Adli added a free-kick six minutes from time, after Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan was sent off.
Who scored for Crystal Palace against Beşiktaş?
Yeremy Pino (50') and Jean-Philippe Mateta (54') scored for Crystal Palace in a 2-2 draw in Istanbul. Wilfred Ndidi and Junior Olaitan scored for Beşiktaş, who finished with ten men after Ümit Akdağ's 77th-minute red card.
When is the next Europa League matchday?
Matchday 4 of the 2026/27 Europa League league phase is played in early November 2026. Each of the 36 teams plays eight league-phase games; the top eight go straight to the last 16 and teams ranked 9th–24th enter a play-off round.
