"Whatever happens, pinch me moment, and we're just happy to be here," one Bournemouth supporter said ahead of Thursday's Europa League game against Sparta Praha at epet ARENA. The match kicks off at 17:45 GMT, and more than 1,000 away fans are expected to make the journey to Bournemouth's furthest ever competitive away trip.
The away end in Prague
Matt, travelling with his son Felix, said: "I think it will be a tough game, we're in it away from home. I think the boys will do us proud." Laura was just as taken by the scene, saying: "This is wild... everyone's having a great time," and adding: "Everyone's friendly, you cannot get a better team spirit than this."
The scale of the trip is part of why it feels different. Prague is 1,149 km from Bournemouth, which replaces Real Sociedad as the club's furthest ever competitive away journey. That previous mark stood at 823.9 km, or 512 miles, before this week.
Bournemouth's place in Europe
The football side of the trip is strong enough to match the occasion. Bournemouth sit 4th in the Europa League with 9 points from 3 matches, have scored 8 goals and conceded only 1. Marco Rose said: "We want to present them a win."
That gives Thursday night a clear split. For the supporters, it is a landmark away day. For Bournemouth, it is also a chance to keep a perfect European start going at Sparta Praha vs Bournemouth.
Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 1 outlet. How we work →
