On September 17, 2026, Justin Kluivert scored the first-ever European goal in AFC Bournemouth’s history, giving the Cherries a 1-0 victory over Real Sociedad in the UEFA Europa League. The match was played at the Reale Seguros Stadium in San Sebastián during Matchday 1 of the new league phase format, which features 36 teams each playing eight matches. Bournemouth qualified for the competition by finishing seventh in the 2025-26 Premier League season. The club, now managed by German coach Marco Rose who replaced Andoni Iraola, has undergone a remarkable transformation from nearly going out of business in 2008 to competing in European competition.
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