Cherries 'looking forward to competing in this great competition' - Cook

[Getty Images] Bournemouth midfielder Lewis Cook, says there are "new memories" to be made as the Cherries prepare for their first European campaign. Marco Rose's side face Real Socidead on Thursday, and vice-captain Cook has reflected on the "journey" that has got Bournemouth to this moment. "I was thinking back to when I first joined. It was 10 years ago now, when the club was in a different position - a good position - and then I think where it is now, it's amazing. It's been a journey," said Cook. "There's been lots of people who have got us to this point and I think in the past few seasons we've really kicked on and are looking forward to the challenge of competing in this great competition. "There's been a lot of excitement building around Bournemouth in the past few weeks and months and it's exciting for us as players, as staff and for a club as well. But, I feel like it gets to a point where the excitement has to stop, there has to be new memories made and we're coming here and we're going to try to compete as well as we can against a tough opposition." Real Socidead were knocked out by Rose's Red Bull Salzburg outfit in 2017-18 in the last 32, but have reached the last 16 in their two most recent Europa League campaigns - 2022-23 and 2024-25. Cook said: "They're a strong team, have technically got a lot of good players and they're in a very competitive league. They've got experience in this competition as well so I think it's going to be a tough game. "The atmosphere is going to great for the fans here and it will be something we need to look forward to and challenge ourselves against opposition, different to the Premier League, but it will be a good game. "We are very fortunate to have a manager who has experienced this a lot and we can lean on him in certain moments definitely."