Bournemouth's historic first European match comes just days before a Premier League test against Liverpool. The Cherries face Real Sociedad in San Sebastian on Thursday in the Europa League league phase, before hosting the Reds at the Vitality Stadium on Sunday in a key fixtures entry.
Manager Marco Rose has named a 21-man squad for the competition, supplemented by 12 youngsters on List B for the trip. The club has also adjusted its initial selection, with former Liverpool academy player Ben Gannon-Doak replacing the injured Junior Kroupi. This follows a broader pattern of squad adjustments, with the club's full squad list showing several notable omissions.
Injuries are affecting the squad ahead of this busy period. Forward Amine Adli is sidelined until next month, while defenders Veljko Milosavljevic and Julian Araujo are out until October or November and have been omitted from the European squad. Juanlu Sanchez, Max Aarons, Daniel Jebbison and Fraser Forster were also left out of the continental roster. The club's injuries page details these ongoing fitness concerns.
Rose has used only 18 players across Bournemouth's first four Premier League matches, making a single change to his starting line-up. How he manages the new demands of three games a week will be key. After the Fulham draw, former manager Andoni Iraola noted his team struggled with fatigue following a Champions League match days earlier, a challenge that could impact the team's stats and performance metrics.
Liverpool, who beat Tottenham in the League Cup on Tuesday, will have two extra days of rest before Sunday's meeting. The Reds' recent record on the south coast is mixed, with Bournemouth winning three of the last eight Premier League home fixtures between the sides. The broader context of the league standings adds significance to this encounter for both clubs.
The match kicks off at 14:00 on Sunday, concluding a week that marks a new chapter for the club. Bournemouth's Europa League squad list is finalised for the group stage, with the team now handling a demanding schedule that includes domestic and continental commitments.
