Europa League matchday 3 left Bournemouth among the five teams on 9 points after three wins from three, and their 3-0 defeat of AC Milan was the most eye-catching part of it. The result also came with the early sending-off of Italian goalkeeper Mike Maignan, which shaped the night before Bournemouth finished the job. Their start is the headline in this section of the table, and it is backed by 8 goals scored and only 1 conceded.
Bournemouth's rise after matchday 3
Bournemouth sit 3rd in the Europa League standings on 9 points, level with Benfica, Bayer Leverkusen, Ferencvaros and Olympiacos at the top of the early race. That is the kind of opening that gives them breathing room before the group of challengers below begins to tighten up.
The defensive line is the detail that stands out most. Bournemouth have allowed just 1 goal in three Europa League matches, while their attack has already produced 8. A team can start fast on the back of one hot scorer or one chaotic result, but this looks more balanced than that.
Milan and Juventus lose ground
The flip side was rough for the bigger names. AC Milan are 23rd with only 3 points and a 4-5 goal record, so the 3-0 loss in Bournemouth leaves them with work to do much earlier than they would have wanted. Their domestic form is stronger, with 15 Serie A points from 7 matches and a 4th-place standing, but Europe has been a different story so far.
Juventus were also stalled by a 2-2 draw with Stade Rennes, which kept them out of the perfect-start group. Matchday 3 therefore did more than reward the clubs who have been sharp from the opening round. It also separated the teams that have already put themselves in position from the ones now trying to catch up.
Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 1 outlet. How we work →
