Fifteen years ago, Bournemouth were in the third tier of English football, losing 2-1 at home to Bury. On Thursday evening, the same club will host AC Milan at the Vitality Stadium in a Europa League group match, a meeting that reveals the distance traveled by the south coast side.
The Vitality Stadium, which holds 12,357 spectators, is expected to offer a lively atmosphere as Bournemouth pursue a perfect start to their European campaign. A win would give them nine points from three games and put them six ahead of Milan in the group standings.
The club’s transformation since those lower-league days is stark. There was a time when players changed in one part of town before traveling elsewhere to train. Now, fans can walk through the same park to watch their team take on one of Europe’s most famous clubs.
Milan arrive under the management of Ruben Amorim, who previously managed Manchester United. He is expected to rotate his squad for the trip. Among the players to watch is Luka Modric, 41, who has started five matches this season and could feature on Thursday. Alphadjo Cisse, who scored a hat-trick against Salzburg, is another name to keep an eye on.
The connections between Bournemouth and Milan go back to the early 1970s, when Bournemouth manager John Bond introduced red and black stripes to the club’s kit as a nod to Milan. The club also adopted the name AFC Bournemouth in 1972, partly to give it a more continental feel and improve its position in alphabetical league listings.
Milan currently sit fourth in Serie A and will be eager to avoid another setback as they prepare for the final five matches of the Europa League group phase.
Bournemouth’s rise from third-tier outsiders to hosting one of Europe’s elite teams in a major continental competition offers a sharp contrast to their past. The match will not just be about points but also about measuring how far the club has come.
According to Yahoo Sports.
