Juventus Held to Draw by Rennes as Benfica and Leverkusen Maintain Perfect Europa League Starts
Juventus drops first Europa League points in 2-2 draw with Rennes. Benfica and Bayer Leverkusen continue their perfect runs in European competition.
POLICY WIRE — Turin, Italy — Juventus saw their flawless start to the Europa League campaign come to an end on Thursday, October 22, 2026, following a hard-fought 2-2 draw against Rennes at Allianz Stadium.
The Bianconeri initially took control of the match when Zeki Celik found the back of the net in the sixth minute. However, the visitors quickly shifted the momentum, with Musa Al-Taamari leveling the score before Boulaye Dia successfully converted a penalty to put Rennes in front.
Juventus managed to salvage a point in the 67th minute when Nick Woltemade stepped up to score from the penalty spot, restoring parity and preventing a home defeat.
While Juventus stumbled, other heavyweights continued their dominance in the competition. Benfica surged to the top of the standings following a commanding 4-1 victory, while Bayer Leverkusen also maintained their perfect record with a win over OFI. Bournemouth similarly kept their winning streak alive during the latest round of fixtures.
Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)
