Kirk Tovey calls Bournemouth hosting AC Milan absolute madness

Bournemouth will host AC Milan in the Europa League on Thursday at 20:00 BST, marking a remarkable milestone for the Premier League club 15 years to the day since they suffered a 2-1 defeat at home to Bury in England’s third tier. The fixture pits the English side against the seven-time champions of Europe at the Vitality Stadium.

From League One Grounds to European Nights in Bournemouth

Fifteen years after playing matches in League One against clubs like Oldham Athletic and Hartlepool United, the Cherries prepare for a momentous occasion in their 127-year history. It’s not long ago we were playing Oldham Athletic and Hartlepool United in League One. Now I’m about to watch us play AC Milan. It’s absolute madness, says Bournemouth fan Kirk Tovey. I’m pinching myself.

While work continues to expand the Vitality Stadium—comfortably the smallest venue in the Premier League by capacity—recent crowds underline the scale of this European campaign. Last week’s 3-0 Europa League victory over Sturm Graz drew 12,070 spectators, marking the club’s highest attendance of the 21st century. Another capacity crowd exceeding 12,000 will pack into the ground for the visit of the Italian giants, though many supporters missed out on tickets and must watch from home.

AC Milan Sits Fourth in Serie A

Managed by former Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim, AC Milan arrive on the south coast currently sitting fourth in Serie A. The Italian club has accumulated 15 points from their opening seven league fixtures, leaving them four points behind table-leaders and arch-rivals Inter Milan. It has been 19 years since AC Milan were last crowned champions of Europe, and four years since they secured their 19th Serie A title.

“They are not the team they used to be,” says Tovey from the Cherries Red Army fan channel.

Tovey noted the contrast between the current squad and the historic lineups of past decades. This is not the AC Milan of Kaka, Alessandro Nesta, Paolo Maldini, Filippo Inzaghi or Clarence Seedorf. But they are still seven-time champions of Europe and they are a massive football club, he added. When the draw came out and you looked at the eight teams we were drawn against, AC Milan was the one everyone went ‘wow’.