TURIN, Italy — October 23, 2026 — Juventus narrowly avoided another damaging defeat after battling to a dramatic 2-2 draw against French side Rennes in the UEFA Europa League on Thursday, October 22, as Benfica and Bayer Leverkusen strengthened their credentials as leading contenders in Europe’s second-tier club competition.
The action-packed evening delivered controversial offside drama, penalty goals, a shocking AC Milan collapse and more evidence that the race for direct qualification to the Europa League knockout rounds is becoming increasingly competitive.
For Juventus, however, the biggest question is whether their latest escape represents a turning point or another warning sign for a team struggling to build momentum.
Juventus Stunned After Taking Early Lead
Playing at the Allianz Stadium in Turin, Juventus appeared headed for a comfortable evening when Zeki Celik opened the scoring just five minutes into the match.
But Rennes refused to retreat.
Jordan international Musa Al-Taamari silenced the home crowd in the 15th minute, finishing from close range to bring the French visitors level.
The momentum shifted dramatically as halftime approached.
Just two minutes before the interval, Rennes struck again when Boulaye Dia converted a penalty, completing a stunning turnaround and sending the visitors into the break with a 2-1 advantage.
The unexpected scoreline left Luciano Spalletti’s Juventus facing the possibility of their first Europa League defeat of the campaign.
Woltemade Rescues Juventus — But Late Drama Denies Victory
Juventus increased the pressure after halftime, desperately searching for a way back into the contest.
Their persistence finally paid off in the 67th minute when German forward Nick Woltemade converted a penalty to equalize at 2-2.
With momentum shifting back toward the Italian giants, Woltemade threatened to score again as Juventus pushed for a winning goal.
Then came the match’s defining moment.
In the 88th minute, defender Jhon Lucumi found the net from close range, apparently completing a dramatic Juventus comeback.
But the celebrations were cut short when the goal was ruled out for offside.
The controversial-looking finish left Juventus settling for a point rather than celebrating a third consecutive Europa League victory.
The draw was especially frustrating given the club’s recent domestic struggles. Juventus entered the contest following a crushing 3-0 home defeat to Lazio in Serie A.
Although the result preserved their unbeaten Europa League record, it also exposed difficulties in controlling matches after taking the lead.
Benfica Deliver Statement Victory in Cyprus
While Juventus struggled, Portuguese giants Benfica produced one of the night’s most convincing performances.
Benfica demolished Omonia 4-1 in Cyprus to maintain their perfect Europa League start, collecting nine points from their opening three matches.
The victory reinforced Benfica’s reputation as a dangerous European opponent and added further importance to their strong opening results, including a 2-0 victory against AC Milan and a 4-1 win over Celtic earlier in the league phase.
With three wins from three, Benfica have positioned themselves strongly in the competition’s early standings.
Bayer Leverkusen Stay Perfect as Jonas Hofmann Strikes Twice
Germany’s Bayer Leverkusen also strengthened their campaign with a commanding 2-0 away victory against Greek club OFI Crete.
Veteran midfielder Jonas Hofmann emerged as the hero, scoring twice within three minutes after being brought into the starting lineup following an injury to Martin Terrier.
His clinical performance gave Leverkusen their third straight Europa League victory and lifted them to nine points.
Leverkusen had previously beaten Celje 2-0 and Lech Poznan 4-0, demonstrating attacking consistency and defensive organization across their opening European fixtures.
The German club’s perfect record has made them one of the early teams to watch.
AC Milan Suffer Heavy Defeat as Bournemouth Continue Winning Streak
Another major surprise unfolded when English club Bournemouth overwhelmed Italian heavyweights AC Milan 3-0.
Milan’s problems escalated in the 28th minute after goalkeeper Mike Maignan was sent off, leaving the Italian side with 10 players.
Bournemouth seized control through first-half penalties converted by Justin Kluivert and Marcus Tavernier.
Amine Adli added a third goal in the 84th minute to complete a memorable victory for the Premier League side.
The result extended Bournemouth’s perfect Europa League campaign to three matches and intensified questions surrounding Milan’s European performances.
Olympiacos and Ferencvaros Also Maintain Perfect Starts
The competition’s unbeaten leaders were not limited to Benfica, Leverkusen and Bournemouth.
Greek powerhouse Olympiacos secured a narrow 1-0 victory against Sparta Prague to record a third consecutive win.
Hungarian club Ferencvaros also continued its outstanding opening run, defeating Torreense 4-1.
Both clubs have collected nine points from their opening three fixtures, underlining how competitive the race for the league phase’s top eight positions could become.
Elsewhere, Sunderland were held to a 1-1 draw by Lech Poznan after surrendering an early lead, leaving the English club on seven points alongside Juventus.
Hoffenheim’s Victory Overshadowed by Serious Injury
Germany’s Hoffenheim registered their first Europa League victory with a 3-0 triumph over French side Lyon.
However, the result was overshadowed by a frightening injury involving Lyon defender Steeve Kango.
The player landed awkwardly following an aerial challenge and required medical attention before being removed from the field on a stretcher while wearing a neck brace.
He was subsequently taken to hospital for examinations.
The incident served as a reminder that player welfare remains a priority even during Europe’s fiercely contested club competitions.
Why Juventus Could Face a Difficult Road Ahead
Juventus remain unbeaten after three Europa League matches, having collected seven points from two victories and one draw.
But there is an important difference between staying undefeated and controlling the competition.
While Juventus have already surrendered points, Benfica, Leverkusen, Bournemouth, Olympiacos and Ferencvaros have all secured maximum points.
Under the Europa League’s 36-team league-phase format, the top eight teams advance directly to the round of 16, while clubs finishing ninth through 24th must compete in knockout-phase playoffs.
That structure makes every point potentially decisive.
Juventus cannot afford to become complacent, particularly if the teams ahead continue winning.
Their upcoming European fixtures include trips to AZ Alkmaar and Ferencvaros, along with home encounters against Omonia and Real Sociedad.
The bigger question is whether Juventus can convert their resilience into consistent victories before the race for direct knockout qualification becomes even tighter.
For now, Juventus have escaped defeat — but Benfica, Bayer Leverkusen and several other challengers are setting a demanding pace.
And if Thursday’s results are any indication, Europe’s Europa League race could become far more unpredictable in the weeks ahead.
