Europa League News: Regis Le Bris believes that Sunderland’s match against AC Milan at the San Siro will be a symbol of the club’s development in recent years. The Black Cats finally returned to European competition after 53 years, with the Europa League draw on Friday (28/8) pitting them against one of the continent’s most historic clubs.
Sunderland supporters were handed a much-anticipated draw after years of ridicule by Newcastle United fans over their absence from European football. However, Regis Le Bris doesn’t want the conversation to focus too much on this rivalry. He wants this moment to be seen as a reward for the loyalty of fans who continue to support Sunderland on their long journey.
“I heard about it recently, but I don’t want to talk about that, it’s more about us. We are proud of Sunderland first. Our fans deserve to be in this position because of their passion, their relationship with the club and the support they give,” said Regis Le Bris.
According to Le Bris, the match at San Siro will be an extraordinary experience for Sunderland, but the club still has to show competitiveness. “It will be an extraordinary experience, but this is football, so we want to be effective and competitive in this competition too. San Siro is very iconic, so this is a big club with a big history. To be able to return to Europe with an image like that is a symbol for us,” he said.
The match against AC Milan was one of the main highlights of Sunderland’s journey in the Europa League league phase. Their return to the European stage comes after finishing seventh in the Premier League last season, an achievement which also ensures the opportunity to face a number of clubs with far greater experience in continental competitions.
Luke O’Nien thinks Sunderland must be able to make this achievement something normal in the future. The Black Cats defender and captain understands the enthusiasm around the club, but wants the players to use this moment as the start of a bigger target, not just a celebration of a season.
“It shows how far we’ve come, but again now it’s important for us to normalize this. This is our goal, to normalize moments like this. It’s cool to talk about it because it’s exciting, but I think everyone’s goal is to make these moments normal,” O’Nien said.
O’Nien even hopes that Sunderland can continue to enjoy a similar experience in the long term. “If we fast forward 10 years, we want to normalize moments like this. I think that’s everyone’s goal. That’s what everyone is trying to achieve in the Premier League, and of course we want to be competitive and go as far as possible in this competition,” he said.
Apart from AC Milan, Sunderland will have away matches against Lech Poznan, Anderlecht and Torreense in the league phase. Meanwhile, AZ Alkmaar, Dinamo Zagreb, Levski Sofia and Jagiellonia Bialystok will be the opponents coming to the Stadium of Light.
The series of matches will be a new experience for Sunderland after more than five decades without European football. Le Bris is aware of the enormity of the challenge that awaits, but he wants the club to enjoy this achievement while maintaining the ambition to compete. For The Black Cats, the match at San Siro is now a real illustration of how far their journey has come.
Article Tags: Europa League, AC Milan, Sunderland, Regis Le Bris
Published by Ligaolahraga.com at https://www.ligaolahraga.com/bola/regis-le-bris-buat-duel-sunderland-vs-ac-milan-jadi-simbol-kemajuan