A historic night lies ahead for Bournemouth, who are set to make their debut in UEFA competitions following their phenomenal campaign last season. This new chapter begins with an away fixture against regular participants Real Sociedad.
Despite their generally strong seasons, neither side can boast of a strong start, although that may be a matter of perspective. Real Sociedad have been seriously inconsistent, recording three defeats, two wins and one draw in their opening La Liga fixtures.
Bournemouth have suffered just one defeat since the start of the season, but have yet to win a single Premier League match, which is an interesting phenomenon. The Cherries certainly have cause for regret, having taken the lead in every single one of their matches so far, yet ultimately failing to win any of them (D3, L1).
If we’re to look on the bright side, we can at least say that Bournemouth score plenty of goals, regardless of the opposition. Given Marco Rose’s wealth of experience in the Europa League, where he has 17 wins from 32 matches in charge, we certainly expect the Cherries to be highly motivated to secure a victory.
How the bookies view it: As close as it can be
The first round of the Europa League will feature some high-profile fixtures, but this one looks set to be one of the most closely contested, with bookmakers showing virtually no difference in the teams’ odds.
At the moment, you can back Real Sociedad at 9/5, a draw at 13/5, or Bournemouth at around 7/5.
Recent head-to-head: Back-to-back draws, but not in official clashes
Although Bournemouth are set to make their official debut in UEFA competitions, they have played no fewer than three matches against Real Sociedad in recent years, albeit in friendlies.
The teams met twice in a single day a year ago, with both matches ending in draws. In 2022, they also played a pre-season match, with Real Sociedad winning 2–1 on that occasion.
It is perhaps worth noting that Real Sociedad have never beaten an English side at home, having suffered three defeats and drawn twice in five such encounters.
Players to watch: Oyarzabal may give Smith a headache
Following his sensational performance at the World Cup, Mikel Oyarzabal seems to be struggling to find his form at club level and has so far recorded just two assists in six matches. But we mustn’t overlook the fact that he played only 27 minutes during pre-season.
Sooner or later, his form will return, and he’ll remain the main threat in Real Sociedad’s attack.
But I’ve got another idea. Adam Smith seems to have been struggling defensively since the start of the season, picking up a yellow card in each of Bournemouth’s last three matches.
Depending on Real Sociedad’s formation, Smith could well find himself up against Mikel Oyarzabal, and it’s quite possible he could pick up a yellow card or at least rack up a few fouls. Bet365 are currently offering 7/4 for 2+ fouls, as well as 3/1 for a yellow card.
Probable line-ups
Real Sociedad: Marrero, Gomez, Pacheco, Sarr, Fort, Ochieng, Guedes, Soler, Herrera, Oyarzabal, Sucic
Bournemouth: Petrovic, Truffert, Silva, Hill, Smith, Adams, Scott, Tavernier, Kluivert, Rayan, Evanilson
Anything else catch the eye?
This is shaping up to be one of the most intriguing fixtures on Thursday, and I reckon there’s a good chance we’ll see a high-scoring game.
Bournemouth are showing real promise in attack, but it’s also clear that they struggle to cope with the pressure and always concede goals. Their lack of experience in the competition could come back to haunt them, but I certainly reckon they have the quality to pick up at least a point.
Real Sociedad usually cope well with weaker opponents, but they’ve struggled in every one of their tougher matches so far, and every Premier League side is dangerous enough.
GambleAware