Sunderland's journey from League One to the Europa League remains incredible to Luke Onyon.

Sunderland, nicknamed the "Black Cats," will travel to Europe for their second UEFA Europa League match of the 2026/27 season against Djurgården. Luke Onyon stated that traveling with the team from League One to European competition has been an incredible journey, emphasizing that it was all achieved through tremendous effort.

In the first round of the Europa League, Sunderland defeated AZ Alkmaar 1-0 after Enzo Lefèvre scored a penalty.

Reflecting on Sunderland's journey from League One to the Europa League, 31-year-old Luke Onyon shared, "It's been incredible, and I'm still processing it all. In football, it's about living each day to the fullest and taking each step carefully. But being able to calm down and look back on the club's journey is truly gratifying."

"Looking back on my days playing in the First Division, I think it was those experiences that made me who I am today. Those games we lost, those days when things didn't go as planned, all of that helped us get to where we are today."

Luke O'Neill said, "It would certainly be special for me to play, but it's not about me personally; it's about the whole club and everything we're working on to get to where we are today. We've put in a lot of effort to get to this point."

“Some players helped the team get here, but they no longer play for this club. Therefore, I am very grateful to be able to stay here. It is an honor to participate in such a competition, and all of this is the result of our tremendous efforts.”

In addition, Luke O'Neill said, "The support from the fans is incredible. They follow us wherever we play."

“I remember when we played our way from Wembley Stadium to Accrington Stanley. Now, my family is even flying to Portugal to watch us play.”

Furthermore, when discussing the team's current squad, Sunderland manager Lebrides said, "Bryan Broby and Habib Diarra both traveled with the team to Portugal, so they are expected to be available for matches soon. However, we must focus on their recovery process and not rush things."

“Thomas Meunier was injured in the last game, so we need to observe him for a while longer. There are also one or two players who suffered minor impacts, and we need to monitor their condition further. Wilson Isidore was also impacted in the game against Brighton, so he needs to be evaluated.”

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