AFC Bournemouth produced one of the most memorable nights in the club's history on Thursday, October 22, 2026, thrashing ten-man AC Milan 3-0 in the UEFA Europa League at Vitality Stadium on England's south coast. Mike Maignan's early red card turned a competitive European night into a one-sided rout, with Justin Kluivert, Marcus Tavernier and Amine Adli all finding the net for the hosts.
AFC Bournemouth produced one of the greatest European nights in club history at a rain-soaked Vitality Stadium, defeating 10-man AC Milan 3-0 on Matchday 3 of the 2026-27 UEFA Europa League. The Italian giants, seven-time champions of this competition, never recovered from losing their captain and first-choice goalkeeper before the half-hour mark.
The Moment That Changed the Match
The hosts struck first when Justin Kluivert converted from 11 meters at 8 minutes, placing his penalty low to the right, before AC Milan's night got harder at 27 minutes when goalkeeper Mike Maignan was shown a straight red card for violent conduct. Mike Maignan shoved Tyler Adams in the face from a corner to draw a red card and a second spot kick that the Dutchman converted.
Two Penalties in Five Minutes
Marcus Tavernier added a second penalty on 32 minutes, this time sending substitute goalkeeper Lorenzo Torriani the wrong way. The double blow, a red card and a second penalty inside five minutes, left Milan's reshuffled back line chasing shadows for the rest of the half.
Adli's Late Flourish
Amine Adli then capped the night with a left-footed free kick on 84 minutes, curling a finish beyond the Italian substitute to complete the scoring. Bournemouth finished with 20 total shots to Milan's 3 and put 7 on target while the visitors failed to register one, with an xG split of 3.11 to 0.11 backing up the scoreline.
Marco Rose's Cherries Keep Rewriting the Club's History
Head coach Marco Rose has steered Bournemouth to a remarkable start to their first-ever European campaign. While they've had a bad start domestically this term, only managing their first victory of the season against Sunderland at the weekend, the Cherries won both Europa League fixtures 2-1 away to Real Sociedad and 3-0 at home to Sturm Graz.
A Perfect Start in Europe
Bournemouth recorded their first Premier League win of the season over 10-man Sunderland at the weekend and go third in the Europa League table with a perfect record of three from three. Having made such a fine start, Bournemouth could now become the first English team to win their first three major European matches since Sunderland way back in 1973-74. The achievement adds another layer to what is already a landmark season for a club competing in Europe for the first time, a storyline that echoes the kind of continental drama seen across Manchester United's own rough European night this week.
Domestic Struggles Persist
Despite the European heroics, life in the Premier League has been far tougher for Rose's squad, who only secured their maiden league win of the campaign days earlier. The contrast between Bournemouth's domestic grind and their continental form has become one of the more curious subplots of the English season.
What the Defeat Means for AC Milan
For Ruben Amorim's side, the trip to the south coast marked a second straight Europa League defeat and another setback in a campaign that had promised much. Sitting fourth in Serie A, the Rossoneri had claimed 15 points so far after beating local rivals Atalanta, having stormed into a three-goal lead before clinging on for a 3-2 win at San Siro. That domestic form now stands in sharp contrast to their European struggles, and the squad will look to regroup when Serie A action resumes.
Losing Maignan to suspension for Milan's next continental fixture compounds the club's problems, after the strategic foundations of the match shifted violently in the 28th minute, with the expulsion of Maignan forcing Milan into a reactive shell and turning a competitive tactical battle into a lopsided exercise in game management for Rose's side.
Where to Watch the Europa League in Canada
DAZN holds Canada's principal UEFA Europa League broadcasting rights for the 2026/27 season, the final year of its 2024–2027 UEFA club competitions agreement. Canada's Europa League coverage is split between DAZN and OneSoccer, giving fans multiple ways to follow Bournemouth's run and Milan's response as the group phase continues. Supporters of either club, along with followers of other major European nights such as Real Madrid's recent comeback win, can expect more drama as the competition's matchday schedule unfolds through the winter.