Sunderland will host the Croatian side Dinamo Zagreb on Thursday in their next UEFA Europa League match at the Stadium of Light as they look to continue their unbeaten European journey intact.
Sunderland vs Dinamo Zagreb – Match preview and team news
- Date: Thursday, 5th November.
- Kick-off: 8pm BST.
- Venue: Stadium of Light.
Sunderland team news
Sunderland head coach Régis Le Bris faces significant selection dilemmas ahead of the UEFA Europa League tie at the Stadium of Light, with five players confirmed absent from first-team training.
Midfielder Habib Diarra faces a six-week layoff due to a fresh muscle injury, prompting the club to draft youngster Chemsdine Talbi into the European squad as his replacement.
Nordi Mukiele is completely ruled out as he remains under strict concussion protocols, while Daniel Ballard and Romaine Mundle continue their respective recoveries from hamstring and knee injuries.
Furthermore, Juan Angulo is highly doubtful after sitting out training with a late knock. Le Bris must also navigate squad restrictions, as Alan Browne, Aji Alese, Chemsdine Talbi, Jocelin Ta Bi, and Melker Ellborg are ineligible for this phase.
On a positive note, defender Omar Alderete is available despite an upcoming domestic suspension.
Dinamo Zagreb team news
Dinamo Zagreb arrives on Wearside under the guidance of interim manager Jerko Leko, who took charge following the dismissal of Mario Kovacevic.
The Croatian champions must navigate this high-stakes fixture while missing several key squad options due to ongoing fitness issues. Experienced defender Scott McKenna remains sidelined, depriving the backline of vital international experience.
The visitors are also stretched thin across other departments, with Dani Rodríguez, Stjepan Radeljić, and Fran Topić all officially ruled out of contention through injury.
Despite these notable absences, Leko is expected to lean heavily on the creative talents of Martin Baturina and the experience of Bruno Petkovic upfront.
The interim management team faces the tough task of stabilising a depleted squad to secure a crucial away result against English opposition.
Form
Sunderland
Sunderland exhibits contrasting form between competitions, sitting unbeaten in ninth place in the Europa League but rooted to the bottom of the Premier League. The Black Cats have struggled domestically, managing only a single victory and suffering five defeats in their last six league matches. Their most recent outing resulted in a disappointing 3-1 away loss against Coventry City, contrasting sharply with their solid continental draws and wins.
Dinamo Zagreb
Dinamo Zagreb enters this clash in highly erratic form, which recently led to the dismissal of manager Mario Kovacevic. Occupying 18th in the Europa League, the Croatian champions have recorded three victories and two defeats in their last five outings across all competitions. They suffered a heavy 4-2 continental home loss to NEC Nijmegen and stumbled again in their latest domestic match, falling 1-0 away against NK Rudes.
Predicted lineups
Sunderland: Roefs; Hume, Danso, O’Nien, Methalie; Xhaka, Sadiki; Meunier, Le Fee, Fofana; Isidor
Dinamo Zagreb: Kotarski; Galesic, Dominguez, Radeljic, Vinlof; Misic, Ivanusec, Stojkovic; Almena, Beljo, Hoxha
How to watch Sunderland vs Dinamo Zagreb?
You can watch the Sunderland vs. Dinamo Zagreb UEFA Europa League match live in the UK on TNT Sports 1 and TNT Sports Ultimate.
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