Sunderland have made a fairly okay start to their Premier League season after suffering a 2-1 defeat away to Ipswich, which was followed by a 1-0 victory at Fulham and a solid point on the road against Brentford thanks to an 82nd-minute equaliser from Enzo Le Fée.
They have four points from their opening three matches, but now the hard work is just around the corner for the Black Cats as they begin a historic Europa League campaign.
With European football now added to their schedule, it will be about managing and balancing their squad as they compete on multiple fronts for the first time in the modern era.
It will be Sunderland’s first European campaign since the 1973/74 season, when they competed in the Cup Winners’ Cup, reaching the second round before being beaten by Sporting.
Compared to last summer, it has been a relatively quiet transfer window for the Black Cats. There haven’t been too many outgoings or incomings, although they did bring in around £30 million in fees from the departures of Eliezer Mayenda and Anthony Patterson.
However, Sunderland have made some clever signings to bolster their squad, while they have also managed to keep Granit Xhaka, who was a key part of their push for Europe last season.
They have added the experience of Thomas Meunier from Lille, who has plenty of experience playing in European competition following spells with Paris Saint-Germain and Borussia Dortmund. They have also brought in young right-back Dayann Methalie, Jules Ahoka and Malick Fofana, a bright young talent from France who attracted interest from various other clubs this summer.
Another interesting addition is young striker Juan Riquelme Angulo from Independiente del Valle. The Ecuadorian club have become a catalyst for producing some of South America and Ecuador’s brightest young talent in recent years.
For around £5 million, could Angulo be the next one to make the step up? He played 15 games in Ecuador’s top flight, scoring six times, and it will be interesting to see how he adapts to life with the Black Cats.
They begin their European campaign at the Stadium of Light on September 16, taking on AZ Alkmaar. Their second match takes them to Portugal, where they will face Torreense, which is followed by a trip to Lech Poznań.
The unique thing about their match with Torreense is that the Portuguese side are currently playing in the second tier of Portuguese football, having defeated Sporting in the Taça de Portugal in 2026.
Their cup success saw them become the first second-tier side to qualify for the Europa League league phase under the new format. However, while they were going for glory in the cup, Torreense lost 2-0 on aggregate to Casa Pia in the promotion play-off, meaning they remained in the second tier of Portuguese football.
It is a fascinating story and one that has all the hallmarks of a great Football Manager save.
They then host giants Dinamo Zagreb and Jagiellonia, who stunned Rangers in the qualifying rounds, before a historic trip to Milan to take on AC Milan at the San Siro. This is followed by matches against Anderlecht and Levski in January.
It promises to be an exciting and intriguing Europa League campaign for Sunderland, who will be hoping to reach the latter stages of the competition, with many on W88 and other apps monitoring their progress closely, especially after seeing Aston Villa win the tournament in recent years.
The main thing, though, is how Sunderland manage and balance their squad as they try to compete on all fronts in both the Europa League and Premier League, while also ensuring they maintain their Premier League status next season.
Having had experience in League One and the Championship, they know what to expect when it comes to playing games in midweek, but European football brings a different challenge. How will they cope with the additional travel and demands that come with playing across Europe?
Only time will tell.
COMMENTS