Sunderland are preparing to feature in European competition for the first time in more than 50 years when they welcome AZ Alkmaar to the Stadium of Light in their opening Europa League match of the season on Wednesday.
The Black Cats head into this eagerly awaited fixture with an inconsistent run of domestic results, having recorded two victories, one draw, and two defeats in their previous five matches. In the Premier League, Sunderland recovered from their opening-day defeat to Ipswich Town by securing a 1–0 win over Fulham and earning a 1–1 draw against Brentford. They then edged past Hull City with a 1–0 victory in the EFL Cup before suffering a difficult 2–0 home loss to Arsenal last weekend.
Sunderland team news
Sunderland will begin their long-awaited return to major European football with a squad that remains largely fresh, as manager Régis Le Bris made several changes during the club’s most recent domestic cup match.
The availability of left-back Reinildo Mandava is a significant boost for the hosts. Although he was sent off during Saturday’s Premier League defeat against Arsenal, the resulting suspension does not apply to European fixtures, meaning he is eligible to feature against AZ Alkmaar at the Stadium of Light.
However, Sunderland will be without important midfielder Habib Diarra, who continues to recover from a hamstring problem. Winger Romaine Mundle is also unavailable because of a long-term knee injury and is not expected to return until the beginning of next year.
Chemsdine Talbi, Jocelin Ta Bi, Melker Ellborg, Alan Browne, and Aji Alese cannot take part in the Europa League because they were not included in Sunderland’s official squad registration for the competition.
Sunderland predicted lineup
Possible Sunderland starting XI: Roefs; Mukiele, Ballard, Danso, Reinildo; Xhaka, Sadiki; Angulo, Le Fee, Fofana; Brobbey
When will the match kick off?
The match will kick off at 8pm BST on Wednesday, 16th September.
How to watch Sunderland vs AZ Alkmaar?
UK viewers can watch Sunderland vs AZ Alkmaar live tonight on TNT Sports 1 and TNT Sports Ultimate.
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