Bournemouth ran out comfortable winners against 10-man AC Milan to maintain their perfect start to the Europa League at Vitality Stadium.
Penalties from Justin Kluivert and Marcus Tavernier, and a late free-kick from substitute Amine Adli, helped the Cherries to a dominant victory over the seven-time European Cup winners.
It was Milan manager Ruben Amorim’s first match in England since his sacking by Manchester United in January.
Marco Rose’s side dominated from kick-off, with Evanilson heading the ball on to defender Koni de Winter’s arm to win an early penalty.
After a VAR check, Greek referee Vasilis Fotias pointed to the spot and Justin Kluivert, son of former Milan striker Patrick, kept his cool to send goalkeeper Mike Maignan the wrong way despite attempts by opposition players to distract him.
Bournemouth continued to rain down efforts on Milan’s goal as the early effects of Storm Austin hit the south coast, with Kluivert, Ben Gannon-Doak and Antonio Silva all going close.
It was then a moment of madness from Maignan that effectively ended Milan’s hopes of a comeback, with the France keeper sent off for shoving midfielder Tyler Adams in the face in the 27th minute.
After almost five minutes of remonstrations from the Italian side, Marcus Tavernier replicated Kluivert’s efforts by sending Maignan’s replacement, Lorenzo Torriani, the wrong way to make it 2-0 from the penalty spot.
After the interval, substitute Rayan went closest to adding to the scoreline with Alex Toth coming off with what looked like a hamstring injury.
That was until Adli curled a 20-yard free-kick in at the near post less than seven minutes after coming on, with Rayan later going close to making it four as Milan failed to muster a shot on target over 90 minutes.
This was after Rose brought off Adams, Tavernier and Kluivert in the 62nd minute to rest players before Sunday’s Premier League trip to struggling Manchester United (14:00 GMT).
Bournemouth ended the night third in the 36-team Europa League league phase, while Milan dropped to 24th.
Bournemouth have won just six points from seven league games this term while Milan are fourth in Serie A.
The three sides they have beaten this season – Real Sociedad, Sturm Graz, and now Milan – have all competed in the Champions League inside the past three years.
For them it’s a fairytale, but for the rest of Europe, is it a Premier League-induced nightmare?
Five months after a missed Arsenal penalty denied a Premier League clean sweep in the Champions League, Europa League and Conference League, is this yet another sign of English club dominance?
Premier League sides make strong start
English clubs played nine games in Europe this week, losing just once.
In fact, Premier League clubs have lost just four of 26 games played across the three continental competitions so far this season. Manchester United are responsible for two of them.
In the five seasons since the Conference League was introduced, no league has yet won all three, but in three different seasons Premier League clubs have won two of them.
Over the past two seasons, Premier League clubs have played 21 knockout ties against European opposition in the Conference League and Europa League – and won all 21.
The only two ties they have lost have been to other English teams.
But, despite such dominance, the Champions League still remains elusive for most, with only Manchester City lifting the trophy over the past five years.
So, why are English clubs so dominant in Europe’s secondary competitions – and why hasn’t this transferred to consistent Champions League glory?
Money talks
Fifteen of last season’s 20 Premier League teams featured in the top 30 of Deloitte’s 2026 Money List.
It is easy to see why then English clubs appear to be head and shoulders above the rest when it comes to the Europa League and the Conference League.
Premier League clubs earn more than £1.37bn per season in television rights, a figure La Liga, Serie A, Bundesliga and Ligue 1 could only match combined.
Brighton are easily the richest club in the Conference League this season, while Bournemouth and Crystal Palace both appear in last season’s top 30.
Last season Aston Villa beat Freiburg comfortably in the Europa League final, with a revenue more than double the Germans’.
Crystal Palace won the Conference League with a revenue of almost four times more than Rayo Vallecano, the side they saw off in the final.
In 2025, Tottenham beat Manchester United in the Europa League final. In the Premier League, they finished 17th and 15th respectively.
In 2022-23, West Ham finished 14th and won the Conference League.
All the evidence points to the Premier League’s collective strength. Take away Europe’s richest and England dominates.
The summer transfer window was further evidence of Europe’s struggles against the Premier League, with the latter again setting a new transfer spend record of £3.49bn to dwarf their rival leagues.
Of the 20 most expensive transfers completed in the summer only six were not to clubs in the English top flight.
You now have Premier League clubs – away from the traditional big six – beating other top European sides to signings.
Premier League wages are generally higher and the league is increasingly seen as the place to be for a lot of European talent.
“With the exception of some of the global brands within football, and I think you’d look at Real Madrid, Barcelona, PSG and Bayern Munich, the Premier League can outspend anyone and everyone,” football finance expert Kieran Maguire said in August.
“A significant proportion of overseas players are now choosing to play in England than elsewhere in Europe because of the wages on offer.”
