Regis Le Bris has put selection at the centre of Sunderland's return to Europe, with the club hosting AZ Alkmaar in their opening Europa League fixture on 16 September. It is Sunderland's first European fixture in 53 years, and Le Bris has signalled that he is unlikely to make too many changes.
Speaking to chroniclelive.co.uk, he said: "I think we want to go strong in both competitions, that's important for our fans and for the club as well." He added that the players are fresh because it is still early in the season and that they want to play this competition.
Le Bris's selection message
The strongest line in Le Bris's comments is not about caution. He said: "Because it's still early in the season, and the players are fresh, they can play, and they want to play because I think they want to play this competition," before adding that "it's possible for us to go strong." He also stressed that Sunderland need more than 11 players to be competitive in both competitions.
That fits the wider mood around the club. Sunderland finished seventh in the Premier League last season with 54 points, the platform that got them back into Europe after promotion. BBC also reported that they became just the fifth team to qualify for Europe via their Premier League position a year after going up.
A special night at the Stadium of Light
Le Bris framed the occasion as more than a routine fixture. "I’m proud to be a part of bringing Sunderland back to a European competition. It shows the momentum of the club. We are progressing step by step and it is a privilege," he said.
He also called it "a special moment" and said Sunderland had worked hard last season to earn the opportunity. BBC's coverage from the city pointed to the same sense of occasion, with supporters preparing for a loud return and the tie set for the Stadium of Light at 20:00 BST.
Sunderland trained with a full group on Tuesday morning apart from injured duo Habib Diarra and Romaine Mundle, which leaves Le Bris with options if he does decide to stick close to his preferred side. Diarra has made just one Premier League appearance this season, while Mundle has not yet appeared in the league.
The message is fairly plain. Sunderland want the night to feel big, and Le Bris does not sound keen on treating it like a cup tie to be managed away. The stronger team is the likelier one, and the opener against AZ is already set for 16 September.
Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 2 outlets. How we work →
