The new Europa League season could hardly have opened with more contrasting stories for the two Italian clubs.
Juventus began their European campaign with a spectacular 5-0 victory over N.E.C. Nijmegen, immediately moving to the top of the league-phase table.
Milan, meanwhile, had a very different night.
The Rossoneri were beaten 2-0 at San Siro by Benfica and will now have to rebuild their momentum on the road.
But the opening round was about much more than Juventus and Milan. Beşiktaş overwhelmed Marseille, Crystal Palace produced a convincing debut, Bournemouth won away at Real Sociedad, and Portuguese second-tier side Torreense created one of the most unexpected stories of the night by winning 2-1 at Lillestrøm.
After just one matchday, the new Europa League format is already showing why it can produce unusual and difficult-to-read tables.

Juventus turn one night into a statement

A 5-0 win is always difficult to ignore.
Juventus did not simply collect three points against N.E.C. Nijmegen. They turned their opening European game into a night of goals, confidence and several individual milestones.
Nicolás González opened the scoring before Kerim Alajbegović added another. Nick Woltemade converted from the penalty spot, Zeki Çelik made it four and Randal Kolo Muani completed the rout.
Five different scorers.
A clean sheet.
Five goals.
And, perhaps most importantly, a feeling that Juventus were able to control the evening without allowing the Dutch side to turn the match into a serious contest.
UEFA's official competition coverage confirms the 5-0 result and places Juventus at the top of the standings after the opening round.
Of course, it would be too early to turn one excellent result into a prediction about the entire European campaign.
There are still seven league-phase matches to play.
But this was exactly the kind of start Juventus would have wanted.

Milan discover how unforgiving Europe can be

At San Siro, the mood was completely different.
Milan lost 2-0 to Benfica, allowing the Portuguese side to leave Italy with three valuable points.
The defeat means Milan start their European campaign without a point and with a negative goal difference.
That does not define their season. The league phase is long enough for a team to recover from a difficult opening night.
But it does make the next fixtures more important.
Milan's next Europa League game will be away to Salzburg on October 15, followed by another demanding away match at Bournemouth.
The UEFA schedule confirms that the Rossoneri will face eight different opponents during the league phase.
So the challenge for Milan is not simply to forget the Benfica defeat.
It is to make sure that one difficult night does not become a pattern.

Beşiktaş and Vincenzo Italiano enjoy a special night

One of the most memorable evenings of the opening round took place in Istanbul.
Beşiktaş defeated Marseille 4-1, producing one of the strongest performances of the first matchday.
The result was also significant for Vincenzo Italiano.
The Italian coach is quickly becoming a familiar figure to the Beşiktaş supporters, and the atmosphere after the match showed just how quickly that relationship is developing.
The stadium even celebrated him with Toto Cutugno's famous “L'Italiano”.
On the pitch, however, the football was the real story.
Beşiktaş responded strongly after Marseille found their way into the game and then pulled away during the second half.
It was a spectacular European introduction for Italiano and another result that immediately placed Beşiktaş among the teams to watch.

Torreense: the story nobody expected

Football occasionally produces a result that feels bigger than the competition itself.
Torreense's 2-1 victory at Lillestrøm was one of those moments.
The Portuguese club came into the Europa League from the country's second tier and immediately recorded a European victory away from home.
Alfaro and Guerrero scored for Torreense, while Thomas Olsen reduced the deficit for the Norwegian side.
The final result was 2-1.
That number matters because it represents more than three points.
For Torreense, it is the beginning of a European adventure that already has a remarkable opening chapter.
Their position near the top of the table after matchday one is one of the clearest reminders that the new format can create unusual matchups and unexpected stories.

Bournemouth make their European debut count

Another debutant also had plenty to celebrate.
Bournemouth defeated Real Sociedad 2-1 in Spain.
Justin Kluivert and Rayan gave the English side a two-goal advantage before Sergio Gómez pulled one back for the hosts.
Real Sociedad pushed for an equaliser, but Bournemouth survived and returned to England with three points.
For a club beginning its European adventure in this competition, winning away from home immediately gives the campaign a different feeling.
There is no guarantee that the momentum will continue.
But Bournemouth could not have asked for a more encouraging beginning.

Crystal Palace send another warning

Crystal Palace were equally impressive.
A 4-0 victory over Lech Poznań put them among the highest-scoring teams of the opening round.
Yeremy Pino opened the scoring, Chris Richards doubled the advantage, Jørgen Strand Larsen converted a penalty and Eddie Nketiah completed the result late in the match.
Four goals.
No reply.
And another English club beginning its European campaign with three points.
The opening round therefore produced an interesting picture for the English representatives: Sunderland, Crystal Palace and Bournemouth all won their first matches.

The rest of the opening round

There were plenty of other results worth remembering.
Ferencváros defeated Celtic 3-1 in Glasgow.
Union SG won 3-0 away to Viktoria Plzeň.
OFI Crete produced one of the other major surprises by beating Hoffenheim 2-0.
Salzburg defeated Levski Sofia 1-0.
Lyon won 2-1 at Anderlecht.
Leverkusen beat Celje 2-0.
Olympiacos defeated Jagiellonia 2-1.
Sparta Praha won 4-1 at Ararat-Armenia.
Sunderland beat AZ Alkmaar 1-0.
Omonia defeated Celta Vigo 1-0.
Two matches ended goalless: Hapoel Beer-Sheva against Dinamo Zagreb and Sturm Graz against Rennes.
The complete first-matchday results are confirmed by UEFA's official competition record.

The table after matchday one

Juventus sit first thanks to their five-goal margin.
Crystal Palace, Sparta Praha, Beşiktaş, Union SG, Ferencváros, Benfica, Leverkusen, OFI Crete and Bournemouth also have three points.
At the other end, N.E.C. Nijmegen are bottom after conceding five goals.
Milan are currently 31st, also without a point.
But there is an important detail here: the table after one match should be read as a snapshot, not as a prediction.
There are seven more games to come.

What comes next?

The second matchday is scheduled for October 15.
Juventus will travel to Celta Vigo.
Milan will travel to Salzburg.
Those two games could already provide a more useful indication of how the Italian sides are adapting to the league phase.
Juventus will then face Rennes, AZ Alkmaar, Omonia, Hapoel Beer-Sheva, Ferencváros and Real Sociedad.
Milan's remaining opponents are Salzburg, Bournemouth, Ferencváros, Olympiacos, Sunderland, Levski Sofia and Ararat-Armenia.
The road to the knockout phase is therefore only beginning.

One night, two very different Italian stories

The most interesting thing about the opening round may be that Juventus and Milan leave it with completely different emotions.
Juventus have the goals, the clean sheet and the first-place position.
Milan have the defeat and the immediate need for a reaction.
Neither situation should be exaggerated after one match.
European football changes quickly.
A team that looks unstoppable in September can struggle later, while a side that starts slowly can recover and build momentum.
That is precisely what makes this new Europa League format so interesting.
And perhaps Torreense's extraordinary opening night is the best reminder of all.
Nobody knows yet which stories will still matter in January.
But after matchday one, there are already plenty worth following.

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