Bournemouth produced the greatest European night in their history, beating AC Milan 3-0 at the Vitality Stadium to make it three wins from three in the Europa League. Justin Kluivert's early penalty set the tone, Milan captain Mike Maignan was sent off for shoving Tyler Adams in the face, Marcus Tavernier converted a second spot-kick and Amine Adli's late free-kick sealed a rout of the seven-time European champions.
Two penalties and a moment of madness
Bournemouth needed only eight minutes to strike. Evanilson's header struck the hand of Koni De Winter, VAR sent referee Vassilis Fotias to the screen, and Kluivert waited for Maignan to dive before sliding the penalty home, as TNT Sports' live commentary recorded. It was some story in itself: Kluivert's father Patrick scored the winner for Ajax against Milan in the 1995 Champions League final, and the son was tormenting the Rossoneri a generation on.
The night turned farcical for Milan on 27 minutes. As Bournemouth prepared a corner, Adams stationed himself in front of Maignan and the France goalkeeper responded with a two-handed shove into the American's face. Fotias showed a straight red card, VAR confirmed it, and Adams was booked for his part in the incident, as USA Today reported. Backup keeper Lorenzo Torriani eventually came on for Omari Hutchinson, and his first act was to pick Tavernier's penalty out of his net on 32 minutes after the spot-kick was awarded for the shove itself.
Ruben Amorim, whose return to England unravelled in the biblical rain, ranted at the officials on the touchline and again at half-time, but his side were 2-0 down, a man light and being outplayed by a Bournemouth team playing with a freedom that belied the occasion. The Cherries had already beaten Sturm Graz 3-0 on Matchday 2, and this was the same front-foot performance, only against far grander opposition.
Adli finishes what the penalties started
Milan, who had thrashed Salzburg 4-0 on Matchday 2, never threatened a comeback: they finished with three shots, none on target, and an expected-goals figure of 0.17 against Bournemouth's 2.98. Marco Rose's side kept turning the screw, Evanilson and Rayan going close, and the third goal arrived six minutes from time when substitute Adli — himself only on because Alex Toth, another substitute, had limped off — curled a free-kick beyond Torriani.
The numbers underline the gulf: 63 per cent possession, 18 shots to three and a clean sheet for Michele Di Gregorio, who did not have a save of note to make. Milan's big names — Christian Pulisic and Luka Modric started on the bench, Adrien Rabiot was introduced at half-time — made no impression on a night that will be talked about on the south coast for decades.
So what: Bournemouth perfect, Milan in trouble
Bournemouth sit on nine points from three matches, alongside the league phase's perfect starters, and a top-eight finish — and a straight path to the last 16 — is now genuinely in their hands. They travel to Sparta Prague on Matchday 4, on Thursday 5 November, knowing a fourth win would all but seal a knockout place with four games to spare.
Milan stay on three points, in the bottom half of the table, and now face a must-win home game against Ferencvaros on Matchday 4 — without Maignan, whose moment of madness will bring a suspension on top of this humiliation. Amorim's side are fourth and unbeaten in Serie A; in Europe, they are in a hole entirely of their own making.
Beyond the Final Whistle: this was not an upset built on luck — Bournemouth out-ran, out-pressed and out-shot Milan from the first minute, and the penalties were the product of relentless pressure before Maignan lost his head. A club in its first European campaign has just beaten AC Milan 3-0, and on this evidence the Cherries belong at this level. How far can Bournemouth go in the Europa League this season? Let us know in the comments.
