The UEFA Europa League provided the day’s headline story on 22 October 2026, as Real Sociedad delivered a stunning 6-0 demolition of Lillestrom in Oslo, the competition’s widest margin of victory this round. The Dutch side’s clinical finish was matched by a series of other decisive results – Bournemouth’s 3-0 win over AC Milan, Benfica’s comfortable 4-1 triumph at Omonia Nicosia and a hard-fought draw between NK Celje and RB Salzburg – all of which reshaped the early group tables and confirmed the fate of several clubs.

UEFA Europa League

  • Ararat-Armenia 0-4 AZ Alkmaar
  • Dinamo Zagreb 2-4 NEC Nijmegen
  • Ferencvaros 4-1 Torreense
  • Juventus 2-2 Stade Rennais
  • Lech Poznan 1-1 Sunderland
  • OFI Crete 0-2 Bayer Leverkusen
  • SK Sturm Graz 1-0 Marseille
  • Union St.-Gilloise 4-0 Hapoel Be'er
  • AFC Bournemouth 3-0 AC Milan
  • Besiktas 2-2 Crystal Palace
  • Celtic 1-2 Celta Vigo
  • Jagiellonia Bialystok 0-3 Anderlecht
  • Lillestrom 0-6 Real Sociedad
  • NK Celje 2-2 RB Salzburg
  • Olympiacos 1-0 Sparta Prague
  • Omonia Nicosia 1-4 Benfica
  • TSG Hoffenheim 3-0 Lyon
  • Viktoria Plzen 1-2 Levski Sofia

Table watch

The latest round solidifies the early hierarchy in the Europa League group stage.

  • Benfica sit top of their group with three wins from three matches, securing a “Qualifies for round of 16” zone.
  • Bayer Leverkusen, AFC Bournemouth, Ferencvaros and Olympiacos share the same qualification status, each on nine points after three games.

At the opposite end of the table, the battle for survival has already been decided for three clubs:

  • Marseille remain winless after three fixtures and are listed in the “Eliminated” zone.
  • Celtic also sit on zero points and share the eliminated status.
  • Ararat-Armenia complete the bottom trio, also marked as “Eliminated”.

These positions underline the early pressure on clubs that have struggled to find a foothold in the competition.

Talking points

  • Real Sociedad’s six-goal masterclass – The 0-6 away win at Lillestrom is the day’s most emphatic result, highlighting the Spanish side’s attacking depth and raising questions about their future group opponents.
  • Marseille’s early exit – A narrow 1-0 loss to SK Sturm Graz consigns the French club to the bottom of the table and the “Eliminated” zone after just three games, a surprising development given their pedigree.
  • Bournemouth silence AC Milan – The English side’s 3-0 victory over the Italian giants not only boosts their points tally but also demonstrates the growing competitiveness of the league phase.
  • Tight contests – Draws such as Juventus 2-2 Stade Rennais and NK Celje 2-2 RB Salzburg show that several groups remain tightly contested, with goal difference likely to play a decisive role in the final qualification picture.

For full match reports, see the detailed coverage of AFC Bournemouth’s win over AC Milan [/news/afc-bournemouth-vs-ac-milan-401915552] and the decisive victory of Union St.-Gilloise against Hapoel Be’er [/news/union-st-gilloise-vs-hapoel-be-er-401915545].

The Europa League’s league phase continues to deliver a mix of dominant performances and nail-biting draws, setting the stage for an intense run-in to the round of 16. Stay tuned for further updates as the group tables tighten and the race for European qualification heats up.