Europa League Betting Tips: Matchday 3 (Thursday 22 October 2026)
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Last checked 21 October 2026 by Tom Perkins. Fixtures and results from UEFA.com; table after Matchday 2.
Three Premier League clubs are in Europa League action on Thursday 22 October, and two of them have taken maximum points from the first two matchdays. Bournemouth host seven-time European champions AC Milan, Sunderland travel to Poland, and Crystal Palace, last season’s Conference League winners, go to a Beşiktaş side who are also unbeaten. Celtic host Celta Vigo in Glasgow, with both still looking for a first point.
How the league phase works
All 36 clubs sit in one table and play eight matches each. The top eight go straight through to the last 16. The teams finishing 9th to 24th go into a two-legged knockout play-off, and the bottom 12 are out. Six points from two games is a strong start, but there are six matches left. Matchday 4 is on Thursday 5 November.
Matchday 3 fixtures involving British clubs
| Kick-off (UK) | Fixture | Points before |
|---|---|---|
| 17:45 | Lech Poznań v Sunderland | Lech 3 (after a 4-0 home defeat to Leverkusen), Sunderland 6 |
| 20:00 | Bournemouth v AC Milan | Bournemouth 6, Milan 3 |
| 20:00 | Beşiktaş v Crystal Palace | Beşiktaş 6, Palace 3 |
| 20:00 | Celtic v Celta Vigo | Both 0 |
How we write these tips
These are our reads on each game, not logged selections, and we don’t quote odds because they move. Check the price on the bookmaker’s site before you bet. Tips we publish with odds go in our tips results log. Any bet can lose.
Lech Poznań v Sunderland (17:45)
Sunderland’s European form is the opposite of their league form. They are bottom of the Premier League but have won both Europa League games, most recently coming from behind to win 2-1 at Torreense, with Noah Sadiki scoring in added time. Lech were beaten 4-0 at home by Leverkusen last time out. Sunderland host Leeds on Sunday, so expect some rotation.
Our lean: both teams to score. Lech have just conceded four at home, but Sunderland’s league defence (14 conceded in seven) makes a clean sheet hard to back.
Bournemouth v AC Milan (20:00)
Bournemouth won their first-ever European home game 3-0 against Sturm Graz, with Evanilson, Rayan and Álvaro Rodríguez scoring. They have five goals for and one against in Europe. Milan won 4-0 at Salzburg on Matchday 2, with 19-year-old Alphadjo Cisse scoring a hat-trick that made him the youngest Italian to do so in UEFA men’s club competition. Bournemouth’s league form is poorer: 15th, one win in seven.
Our lean: over 2.5 goals. Both sides scored freely last time and neither is likely to sit back.
Beşiktaş v Crystal Palace (20:00)
Beşiktaş have won both games, scoring seven, including a 3-2 win at Hoffenheim in which South Korean forward Hyeongyu Oh scored twice and set up the other. Palace lost 3-2 at Lyon after trailing 2-0 at half-time. Yeremy Pino scored their first. Istanbul is a hard place to go, and Palace have conceded 17 Premier League goals.
Our lean: Beşiktaş or the draw. The home side’s form and the venue outweigh Palace’s European pedigree on this occasion.
Palace are back at Selhurst Park three days later. Our Crystal Palace v Newcastle prediction looks at how this trip could affect Sunday’s game.
Celtic v Celta Vigo (20:00)
Both sides are pointless after two games. Celtic lost 4-1 in Lisbon, although they hit the woodwork three times, and Celta lost 2-1 at home to Juventus. Martin O’Neill says Celtic can still qualify, and a home win would put them back in the play-off places.
Our lean: both teams to score. Neither side has kept a clean sheet in this competition yet.
Before you bet
Midweek European games often come with squad rotation, so check the line-ups, which are usually confirmed an hour before kick-off. If you’re combining markets from one game, read how bet builders are priced. Our weekend Premier League tips and the Man Utd v Bournemouth prediction cover the games that follow.
FAQs
When is Europa League Matchday 3?
Thursday 22 October 2026. Lech Poznań v Sunderland kicks off at 17:45 UK time, and Bournemouth v AC Milan, Beşiktaş v Crystal Palace and Celtic v Celta Vigo at 20:00.
How many teams qualify from the Europa League league phase?
The top eight go straight to the last 16, and teams finishing 9th to 24th play a two-legged knockout play-off. The bottom 12 of the 36 are eliminated.
When is Europa League Matchday 4?
Thursday 5 November 2026.
Can these Europa League tips lose?
Yes. They are our opinions based on form and results. Any bet can lose, so set a limit and only stake what you can afford to lose.