Bournemouth travel to Real Sociedad on Thursday night as they make their European debut ahead of facing Liverpool on Sunday
Liverpool head coach Andoni Iraola.
Liverpool head coach Andoni Iraola.(Image: Simon Stacpoole/Offside via Getty Images)
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AFC Bournemouth will make history tonight (Thursday) as they compete in Europe for the first time in their history. The Cherries are reaping the fruits of Andoni Iraola’s labours prior to his departure to Liverpool.
A trip to San Sebastian awaits, with Bournemouth facing off against last season’s Copa del Rey winners Real Sociedad in their Europa League league phase opener. Among their contingent stands club legend talisman, captain and recently crowned world champion, Mikel Oyarzabal.
It’s a daunting yet mouth-watering prospect for Marco Rose’s side, facing a side that established themselves as European regulars in recent years.
While it might be the Cherries’ European debut, a handful of their players have competed in continental competition before. Yet it is still a new experience for the club and one they will have to adjust to quickly as they have to contend with three games a week for the majority of the first half of the season.
And Liverpool could be poised to benefit as Bournemouth look to acclimatise to an increased workload.
The Reds travel to the south coast on Sunday and will have an extra two days’ preparation on the hosts, following their League Cup win over Tottenham Hotspur on Tuesday night.
And Iraola named a much-changed side to face Spurs as he made 10 changes with Ronald Araujo the only survivor from the previous weekend’s 0-0 draw with Fulham.
After facing the Cottagers, Iraola admitted his side had struggled with fatigue following a Champions League encounter with Atletico Madrid only days earlier.
But while Liverpool are used to such a schedule, Bournemouth certainly are not.
The Cherries named a 21-man squad for the Europa League earlier this month, while they added a further 12 youngsters to List B ahead of their trip to Real Sociedad.
They have also made a change to their initial quota with former Reds youngster Ben Gannon-Doak taking the place of the injured Junior Kroupi.
The forward is not the only player Bournemouth are currently without, with Amine Adli currently sidelined until next month and both Veljko Milosavljevic and Julian Araujo left out of their Europa League squad with injuries ruling them out until October/November.
Meanwhile, Juanlu Sanchez, Max Aarons, Daniel Jebbison and Fraser Forster have also all been left out of their European squad.
Rose has made only one change to his side throughout their four Premier League matches so far this season, and only called upon 18 players in total. It remains to be seen how he will look to manage his Cherries side’ increased workload in Europe and whether he will start to rotate his ranks.
Regardless of his choice, Bournemouth are now taking a step into the unknown.
Liverpool’s record at the Vitality Stadium has been mixed in recent years, with the Cherries winning three of their last eight home Premier League meetings between the two sides, while the Reds’ 3-2 defeat on the south coast in January followed a midweek European trip to Marseille.
But now the shoe is on the other foot. And with the increased strain of European football potentially taking its toll on the Bournemouth squad, Liverpool - boasting those two days extra rest and recovery - could be poised to profit when they lock horns with the Cherries on early Sunday afternoon.