Bournemouth make statement in European debut

Bournemouth marked their first-ever European appearance with a 2-1 victory over Real Sociedad in the UEFA Europa League on 17 September 2026. Justin Kluivert opened the scoring in the 11th minute, followed by a header from Rayan in the 20th minute, before Sergio Gómez pulled one back for the hosts in the 57th minute. Manager Marco Rose's side held on for all three points, continuing a remarkable rise for the club that was in financial turmoil in the fourth tier of English football 18 years earlier.