Overview
- Bournemouth travel to the Reale Arena for their first major European match on Thursday 17 September 2026 with kick-off at 8pm BST, a fixture shown in the UK on TNT Sports and in the US on Paramount+.
- Marco Rose’s side will be without Eli Junior Kroupi, Amine Adli, Julián Araujo and Veljko Milosavljević, and winger Ben Gannon-Doak has been added to Bournemouth’s official Europa League squad as Kroupi’s replacement.
- Real Sociedad also face defensive absences, with Álvaro Odriozola out long-term, Igor Zubeldia doubtful and Jon Aramburu suspended, while Mikel Oyarzabal remains fit and is Sociedad’s main attacking threat.
- Pre-match coverage from multiple outlets converges on a similar Bournemouth XI led by goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic and an attack of Marcus Tavernier, Justin Kluivert and Rayan backing Evanilson, with analysts warning the team must stop surrendering late leads.
- The match caps a long club rise from near liquidation to European football and will force Bournemouth to balance Premier League survival, UEFA squad rules and stadium and training investments as they adapt to continental travel and rotation.