Sports

Today’s UEFA Europa & Conference Leagues’ Fixtures & Previews

October 15, 2026

117

AC Milan to make up lost ground when they visit Red Bull Salzburg

After losing at home on the Europa League‘s opening matchday, AC Milan must try to make up lost ground when they visit Red Bull Salzburg .

While the Italian giants were beaten by Benfica in their first league-phase fixture, Salzburg started with 1-0 away win.

Defeated by his former club – who he represented for nine years as a player – Ruben Amorim came away empty-handed from his first Europa League game.

Nonetheless, that remains Milan’s lone loss this season, and Amorim’s men have claimed 12 points from six Serie A fixtures so far.

Now unbeaten through their first six league games for the first time since 2022, the Rossoneri narrowly missed out on Champions League qualification in May, but they are gradually rebuilding under new management.

Before a tricky domestic clash with regional rivals Atalanta on Sunday, Milan must try to take that momentum with them across to Austria.

History will certainly be on their side. To date, they have won nine of 13 games against Austrian sides. Both in their current and former guise, Salzburg have never beaten Milan across four previous meetings, all of which were in the Champions League.

With just one loss between the two teams this season, this clash could end all square.

Salzburg may have produced more convincing results, but Milan boast much more top-level nous.

Credit: sportsmole.co.uk

Crystal Palace coach faces his former club Lyon

Crystal Palace manager Pierre Sage returns to his native France to face his former club Lyon in the Europa League on Thursday night.

Groupama Stadium will stage an intriguing contest between two sides who are seeking to claim their second successive League Phase victory.

Competing in the Europa League for the third straight season after a heartbreaking Champions League playoff exit in August, Lyon kick-started their campaign with a 2-1 away victory over Anderlecht last month, scoring twice in a dominant first half before grinding out a result under intense second-half pressure.

Head coach Paulo Fonseca has since overseen mixed results in Ligue 1, with a convincing 4-0 home win over Rennes followed by a 2-1 away defeat to Lens last weekend, ending their five-match unbeaten start on the domestic front.

However, they have only won eight of their previous 27 meetings with English clubs and have prevailed on just one occasion in eight encounters with London-based sides.

Following a challenging start to life at Selhurst Park, Pierre Sage is finally finding his feet as Crystal Palace boss, with four wins and one draw posted across their last six matches in all competitions.

Sage has inherited a team with a “big heart” who also recorded a 4-0 home victory over Lech Poznan to begin their maiden Europa League campaign in emphatic fashion.

Lyon and Palace will be bidding to build on their winning starts in the League Phase, but a closely-contested battle between two teams who have looked vulnerable in defence of late could be in store.

Credit: sportsmole.co.uk

Bournemouth welcome Sturm Graz to the Vitality Stadium

Eyeing up back-to-back Europa League wins, Bournemouth welcome Sturm Graz to the Vitality Stadium for their first-ever European home match on Thursday night.

While the Cherries celebrated a famous win against Real Sociedad on matchday one, Die Schwoazn picked up a point in their opening match with Rennes.

San Sebastian was the setting for a memorable night for Bournemouth as they marked their maiden European match in their 127-year history with a 2-1 away victory over Real Sociedad on matchday one of the Europa League last month.

However, this is one of only two wins posted by the Cherries in eight games across all competitions under new head coach Marco Rose.

Rose is still searching for his first Premier League win after six matches.

Determined to bounce back, Bournemouth must address their defensive frailties if they wish to turn their fortunes around, having only kept one clean sheet across their last 10 competitive fixtures in all tournaments.

Although Bournemouth have endured a difficult start on the domestic front, they impressed for large spells of their Europa League victory over Real Sociedad and should have enough quality in their side to pick up three more points in front of a pumped-up home crowd on the South Coast.

Credit: .sportsmole.co.uk

Sociedad to return to winning ways away to Union SG

Real Sociedad will be bidding to return to winning ways in the Europa League when they continue their league stage campaign away to Union SG .

The visitors opened their European challenge with a 2-1 defeat to Bournemouth, while Union SG recorded a 3-0 victory over Viktoria Plzen in their first match of the 2026-27 competition.

Union SG lost to Bodo/Glimt in the third qualifying round of this season’s Champions League, which saw them drop into the Europa League, and the Belgian outfit are competing at this level for the first time since 2024-25, when they reached the knockout round playoffs before losing to Ajax.

Union SG are unbeaten in their last eight matches in all competitions, recording six wins in the process.

Real Sociedad, meanwhile, will enter this match off the back of a 3-2 win over Deportivo La Coruna in Spain’s top flight.

Union SG have been excellent in the early stages of the campaign, and we came close to backing a narrow home win, but Real Sociedad have enough about them to claim a point here.

Credit: sportsmole.co.uk

FIXTURES

AZ Alkmaar 16:45 Hapoel Be’er Sheva

Celje 16:45 Omonia Nicosia

Lech Poznań 16:45 Bayer Leverkusen

Olympique Lyonnais 16:45 Crystal Palace

Red Bull Salzburg 16:45 AC Milan

Sparta Prague 16:45 Lillestrøm

Torreense 16:45 Sunderland

Union Saint-Gilloise 16:45 Real Sociedad

Benfica 19:00 Celtic

Bournemouth 19:00 Sturm Graz