Bournemouth is gearing up for a momentous occasion as they prepare to play their first home match in European competition. Marco Rose's side will face Sturm Graz in the Europa League, following an encouraging debut in the tournament but overshadowed by their dismal performance in the Premier League.
In their initial European outing, Bournemouth secured a memorable win against Real Sociedad. However, their domestic campaign has been less fruitful, with no wins to their name after six matches, resulting in three draws and three losses. A recent defeat to Chelsea has seen them slip into the relegation zone.
Sturm Graz, meanwhile, kicked off their European campaign with a draw against Rennes, followed by a solid away victory against Austria Wien, winning 2-0 just before their trip to England.
Team News
Bournemouth will be without six key players for this historic clash.
Alex Scott will miss out due to a thigh injury, joining the likes of Eli Junior Kroupi, Justin Kluivert, Julian Araujo, Veljko Milosavljevic, and Amin Adli on the sidelines.
Sturm Graz also faces selection issues, with Gizo Mamagaishvili, Nelson Waiper, Otar Kiteishvili, Filip Rozga, Sidi Yatta, and Emran Soglo unavailable for the trip.
Expected Lineups
Bournemouth: Petrovic; Smith, Hill, Silva, Truffer; Adams, Christie; Ryan, Brooks, Tavernier; Evanilson.
Sturm Graz: Khudyakov; Vallschi, Quarshi, Koller, Balbo; Weinhandl, Stankovic; Matoshi, Hodl, Zeidl; Diakite.
Kicking off at 20:00 BST (22:00 Moscow time), this match at the Vitality will mark a historic milestone for Bournemouth as their first home fixture in European competition.
However, the Cherries have been shaky defensively, managing just one clean sheet in their last ten outings across all competitions.
Sturm Graz, conversely, has struggled in their recent away matches in Europe, losing their last five and conceding 11 goals in that span. Historically, they have not fared well against English teams, with only one victory, two draws, and six defeats in their nine prior encounters.
