For Sunderland, this is about much more than one football match.
After 53 years away from European competition, Sunderland are finally back on the continental stage. The last time the club played in Europe was in 1973, when they entered the Cup Winners’ Cup after winning the FA Cup. Now, more than half a century later, the Black Cats are preparing for a Europa League campaign that feels almost impossible when you consider where this club was only a few years ago.
And standing right in the middle of this new chapter is Granit Xhaka.
The Sunderland captain has already played in two Europa League finals during his career. He knows what European football feels like, he understands the pressure that comes with major nights, and he has the experience of playing at the highest level.
But this time is different.
He isn’t arriving at a club expected to win the competition.
He’s arriving at a club trying to build something.
And that could make Xhaka one of the most important players in Sunderland’s modern history.
Sunderland’s European return is already a remarkable story
Let’s put the achievement into perspective.
Sunderland finished seventh in the Premier League last season, earning a place in the 2026-27 Europa League league phase. UEFA lists Sunderland among the English clubs directly qualifying for the competition alongside Bournemouth and says their qualification came from that seventh-place league finish.
That alone represents a massive turnaround.
Sunderland spent years outside England’s top flight before finally returning to the Premier League. Now they are playing European football.
That’s an enormous jump.
And there is something particularly special about the timing.
The Stadium of Light, opened in 1997, has never hosted a competitive European match before. That means Sunderland’s first European game in more than five decades is also a completely new experience for the current stadium.
Almost 49,000 supporters are expected for the historic night against AZ Alkmaar.
This isn’t just another fixture on the calendar.
It is one of those nights that supporters will remember for the rest of their lives.
But the bigger question is what happens after the celebration.
That’s where Granit Xhaka comes in
Sunderland didn’t bring Xhaka to the club simply to have another experienced midfielder around the squad.
At 33, he brings something Sunderland cannot manufacture overnight: experience.
UEFA lists Xhaka as Sunderland’s number 34 midfielder in their Europa League squad, alongside younger players such as Chris Rigg, Habib Diarra and Noah Sadiki.
That combination could be extremely important.
Sunderland have young players who can provide energy, creativity and potential.
Xhaka provides the other side of the equation.
Control.
He has spent years playing at the highest levels of European football, including Champions League and Europa League competition. He also knows what it takes to handle pressure, manage difficult moments and slow a game down when necessary.
That could become especially valuable in Europe.
European football isn’t always about playing faster.
Sometimes it’s about knowing when not to.
A young Sunderland team could easily get caught up in the emotion of these matches. The crowd will be loud. The opposition will be unfamiliar. The tactical approaches will be different.
Xhaka can be the player who tells everyone to calm down.
That could be his biggest contribution.
This is also a test of Sunderland’s ambition
The danger for Sunderland is getting carried away with the fairytale.
The story is incredible.
But European football can expose weaknesses very quickly.
Sunderland are not entering a competition filled with easy games. Their league-phase schedule includes AZ Alkmaar, Milan, Anderlecht, GNK Dinamo, Jagiellonia, Torreense and Levski Sofia.
And yes, there is a trip to San Siro waiting.
Sunderland will face Milan away on December 10.
Think about that for a second.
A club that was fighting its way back into England’s top flight is now preparing to walk into one of European football’s most famous stadiums for a competitive Europa League match.
That is the kind of fixture that shows just how far Sunderland have come.
But it also shows how much work remains.
Xhaka cannot do everything
This is where expectations need to be realistic.
Xhaka can organize.
He can lead.
He can control possession.
He can bring European experience.
But he cannot carry Sunderland through an entire European campaign by himself.
The responsibility has to be shared.
Players like Chris Rigg and the rest of Sunderland’s younger midfielders will have to step up. The forwards will need to convert opportunities. The defense will have to handle the increased workload.
And manager Régis Le Bris will have to find the balance between Premier League survival and European ambition.
That might actually be Sunderland’s biggest challenge.
European football sounds wonderful until the Thursday-Sunday schedule begins.
Suddenly, the team is traveling across Europe while also trying to compete against Premier League clubs every weekend.
Squad depth becomes critical.
So does rotation.
And so does experience.
Again, that brings us back to Xhaka.
The real opportunity for Xhaka
There is another reason this could become significant for the Swiss midfielder.
Xhaka isn’t simply playing out the final stages of a career.
He has an opportunity to help shape what Sunderland becomes next.
That is a very different role.
Sunderland’s squad already contains a mixture of experienced players and young talent. UEFA’s official squad list includes Xhaka alongside players such as 19-year-old Chris Rigg, 21-year-old Noah Sadiki and 22-year-old Habib Diarra.
Imagine what those younger players can learn from him.
How to prepare for European matches.
How to handle hostile away environments.
How to manage pressure.
How to communicate with teammates.
How to recover between matches.
Those lessons aren’t always visible on a statistics sheet.
But they can influence a club for years.
That’s why Xhaka’s importance could extend far beyond his performances on the pitch.
Sunderland shouldn’t be thinking about winning the Europa League yet
The temptation will be obvious.
Fans are dreaming.
The phrase “Mackem in Milan” is already being embraced by supporters.
But Sunderland should probably focus on something much simpler.
Compete.
Get through the league phase.
Build European experience.
Learn.
And give the younger players opportunities to grow.
The 2026-27 Europa League has 36 teams in its league phase, with Sunderland scheduled to play eight matches before the knockout phase begins.
That’s a lot of football.
There will be good nights.
There will probably be difficult nights.
There may be moments when Sunderland look like they belong.
There may also be moments when Europe reminds them just how far they still have to go.
Both are useful.
My prediction: Sunderland can make this interesting
I’m not going to pretend Sunderland are one of the favorites to win the Europa League.
They aren’t.
But I do think this team has the ingredients to make the campaign meaningful.
The home matches could be particularly important.
The Stadium of Light should become one of the loudest venues in the competition, and Sunderland will have home fixtures against AZ Alkmaar, GNK Dinamo, Jagiellonia and Levski Sofia.
If Sunderland can collect points at home and avoid falling apart on the road, they could put themselves in a position to continue their European adventure beyond the league phase.
And if Xhaka stays healthy and continues providing the experience in midfield, his influence could become even more important as the competition gets tougher.
This is only the beginning
The most exciting part of Sunderland’s return to Europe isn’t necessarily what happens against AZ Alkmaar.
It’s what this moment could represent.
Five years ago, European football would have sounded like a fantasy.
Now it is happening.
The Stadium of Light is preparing for its first competitive European match. Xhaka is preparing to lead Sunderland into continental football. Young players are getting the opportunity to experience something most footballers never get to experience.
And suddenly, Sunderland have a much bigger question to answer.
Can this be the beginning of something?
That’s where Xhaka’s role becomes fascinating.
He has already played in European finals.
He has already experienced massive clubs and massive stadiums.
Now he’s at Sunderland.
And perhaps the most interesting chapter of his career could be helping a historic club discover just how far this new journey can go.
Sunderland are back in Europe.
The fairytale has already happened.
Now they have to decide what comes next.
And Granit Xhaka might be the man holding the map.
Prediction: Sunderland’s first European campaign in 53 years will be challenging, but I expect them to compete strongly at home and have a realistic chance of reaching the knockout phase if they manage the Premier League and Europa League demands properly.
The first chapter begins against AZ Alkmaar.
The next chapter could be much bigger
