Bournemouth's 3-0 win over AC Milan highlights Premier League's European dominance
Bournemouth beat seven-time European champions AC Milan 3-0 in only their third European fixture, underscoring English clubs' growing dominance outside the Champions League.
Bournemouth marked only their third-ever European fixture with a 3-0 victory over AC Milan at Vitality Stadium, a result that underlined the growing gap between Premier League clubs and their continental rivals in Europe's secondary competitions. Justin Kluivert opened the scoring 31 years after his father Patrick netted the winner for Ajax against Milan in a Champions League final.
The scoreline was shaped by the 27th-minute dismissal of Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan, but Bournemouth had already been the stronger side. Midfielder Ryan Christie told TNT Sports the night felt surreal given the club's recent history, noting they had been 17th in League One 15 years ago and narrowly avoided liquidation in 2008. Supporters, he said, had shared the journey and deserved such evenings.
Bournemouth's wins this season have come against Real Sociedad, Sturm Graz and Milan, all recent Champions League participants, even though the Cherries have collected just six points from seven league games. Milan, meanwhile, sit fourth in Serie A. One quirk: Milan started more English players (three) than the hosts (two).
The result fits a wider pattern. Premier League clubs lost only one of nine European games this week and have lost four of 26 across the three competitions this season, two of them by Manchester United. English sides have won all 21 knockout ties against European opposition in the Europa and Conference Leagues over the past two seasons, with their only defeats coming against each other.
Money is the backdrop. Fifteen of last season's 20 Premier League clubs ranked in the top 30 of Deloitte's money list, and English top-flight clubs earn more than £1.37bn a season in television rights alone. Last season Aston Villa and Crystal Palace won the Europa and Conference Leagues respectively with revenues far above their final opponents, while Tottenham beat Manchester United in the 2025 Europa League final despite finishing 17th and 15th domestically.
The Champions League remains harder to conquer. Over the past two campaigns, eight of nine English sides were eliminated by one of Deloitte's big four, and Chelsea, Manchester City, Newcastle and Liverpool went out by an aggregate 25-6 last season. With Arsenal losing last season's final on penalties and City winning in 2023, English clubs remain contenders but have not converted their wider dominance into consistent top-tier glory.
Image: Getty Images / BBC Sport
