Pierre Sage is asked why Axel Disasi is not in the Crystal Palace squad tonight. “It’s a decision I took today.” Is there a reason for that? “No.” Also from Sage:

We are ready to fight and compete in this game. We need to start a new way, because we need points in every competition, and I think the start of this way is tonight. They are a team who like intensity, sprint a lot, and they play forward, it’s very vertical. But they are able to take control of the play inside too. We have to deal with these two things, and we have to take control first of all today.

Bournemouth’s Marco Rose has a chat about momentum, and his eight changes to the lineup today:

It’s always about hard work and we have to maintain momentum every day, in every training, and every game, and today it’s getting a tough challenge. Everyone is in a good spot. The lads who played the last weeks showed up. I hope we have fresh legs. There is no other option for me, because Sunday we have the next game and then again and again.

And on Bournemouth, and the very good place they currently appear to be in:

It’s always about connections and emotions in football. I really feel the commitment of our fans, of the region. Everyone is so happy after hard times in the 90s. To get this kind of experience, it’s just a joy to be part of it and it makes me proud.

Also today:

(A selection of) team news!

Here’s the all-important team news for the three early kick-offs involving British teams:

Europa League

Crystal ⁠Palace v Hoffenheim
Crystal Palace: Henderson, Canvot, Richards, Ahanor, Khalaili, Timber, Wharton, Mitchell, Kamada, Mateta, Pino. Subs: Benitez, Benetton, Nketiah, McNeil, Larsen, Osorio, Mingueza, Williams, James Kalembo.
Hoffenheim: Baumann, Abraha, Kabak, Machida, Rots, Kramaric, Burger, Avdullahu, Prass, Asllani, Lemperle. Subs: Petersson, Philipp, Dulic, Bernardo, Daghim, Lenz, Poller, Fields, Lassig, Wagenbach.
Referee: Horatiu Fesnic (Romania).

Sparta ‌Prague v Bournemouth
Sparta Prague: Surovcik, Hoever, Mbe Soh, Guddall, Suchomel, Macek, Mannsverk, Irving, Singhateh, Brunes, Alcocer. Subs: Hegyi, Kaderabek, Martinec, Eneme, Vitalyos, Grimaldo, Vydra, Vojta, Zeleny, Jurasek, Sochurek, Dyntar.
Bournemouth: Di Gregorio, Smith, Hill, Diakite, Soler, Cook, Christie, Adli, Brooks, Doak, Rodriguez. Subs: Petrovic, Allan, Truffert, Evanilson, Adams, Silva, Tavernier, Kluivert, Rayan.
Referee: Erik Lambrechts (Belgium)

Conference League

Thun v Hearts
Thun: Steffen, Dahler, Bamert, Burki, Mambwa, Reichmuth, Kait, Roth, Maier, Dursun, Labeau. Subs: Spycher, Burgy, Zoukit, Kristal, Strannegard, Braschi, Derbaci, Christoffersson, Gutbub, Fehr, Ilic, Lengen.
Hearts: Reus, Altena, Walcott, Findlay, McCart, Kingsley, Kerjota, Mendy, McPake, Guendouz, Braga. Subs: Clark, Fulton, Williams, Kabore, Wilson, Pollock, Stevenson, Gillies.
Referee: Kyriakos Athanasiou (Cyprus).

The deluge has arrived! Team news for the British sides on its way. If you have other games you’d like teams from, let me know.

I’ve donned my Mac and raised my brolly in preparation for a deluge of team news. In the meantime, here’s a photo of what looks a fine evening in Prague.

Preamble

Hello world! Another day, another smorgasbord of European delights is being plated up for our delectation tonight. There are, to summarise, too many games going on simultaneously for two eyes to have any hope of following but I’ll do my very best.

Highlights? Well [he writes, copy-and-pasting the preview filed by the Associated Press], Bournemouth travel to Sparta Prague in the Europa League with the aim to stay perfect after four rounds. The English side has been cruising in its maiden European campaign with three wins over Milan, Sturm Graz and Real Sociedad. Bournemouth have also surged to eighth in the Premier League after another three straight wins. “We need to be very reasonable, we know that it’s a long way and I especially know it,” winger Amine Adli, who reached the 2024 Europa League final with Leverkusen, said ahead of the match in Prague. “It’s a long way to the final.”

His former employers also have a 100% record and host pointless Marseille. Milan plays another undefeated club, Ferencvaros, at San Siro, and another Italian giant, Juventus, visit Alkmaar. Struggling Crystal Palace welcome Hoffenheim and Celtic, one of four teams yet to earn a single point, host Besiktas in Glasgow.

In the Conference League, Brighton face Getafe away, while Monaco, up against Danish side Nordsjælland, have been boosted by signing US striker Folarin Balogun.

Today’s fixtures

5.45pm GMT kick-offs
Anderlecht v Salzburg
Crystal ⁠Palace v Hoffenheim
Levski Sofia v Jagiellonia ​Białystok
Lillestrøm v Viktoria Plzen
Milan v Ferencvaros
NEC v Omonia Nicosia
Real Sociedad v Lyon
Sparta ‌Prague v Bournemouth

8pm GMT kick-offs
AZ v Juventus
Bayer ​Leverkusen v Olympique ​Marseille
Benfica v Lech ‌Poznan
Celta ​de ​Vigo v Union Saint-Gilloise
Celtic v Beşiktas
Hapoel ​Be’er Sheva v OFI
Sturm Graz v Celje
Sunderland v Dinamo ‌Zagreb
Torreense v Ararat-Armenia

Meanwhile in the Europa League:

5.45pm GMT kick-offs
AGF v Braga
Atalanta v Kairat
KuPS v Gent
Lincoln Red Imps v Hajduk Split
Midtjylland v Ajax
Mjallby v Borac
Red Star Belgrade v Inter D’Escaldes
Thun v Hearts
Trabzonspor v Freiburg

And at 8pm GMT
Copenhagen v Iberia 1999
Getafe v Brighton
Lugano v Kauno Zalgiris
Monaco v Nordsjaelland
Panathinaikos v CSKA Sofia
Riga v Jablonec
Sint-Truiden v Brann
Twente v AE Pafos
Universitatea Craiova v Egnatia