Dinamo Zagreb under the lights at the Stadium of Light on Bonfire Night.

These should be exciting times for Sunderland and their fans, who before this season had been starved of European football for more than half a century.

Instead there is a concern the club’s Europa League campaign, which includes a trip to AC Milan in December, has become a hindrance after the team’s poor domestic start to the season.

Last season’s surprise Premier League package are rooted to the bottom of the table, with just one win and six defeats from nine games.

Will a game against the champions of Croatia on Thursday (20:00 GMT) serve as a welcome distraction before Sunday’s visit of Chelsea?

When Sunderland won at Stamford Bridge last season in their ninth game back after promotion, the Black Cats sat second in the table after an electrifying start.

After nine games this season, it is a very different story.

Questions are being asked about the long-term future of manager Regis le Bris – the man who masterminded Sunderland‘s return to Europe for the first time in 53 years.

So after last season’s impressive seventh-placed finish, why are Sunderland struggling this time round?

Following last Saturday’s 3-1 defeat at Coventry City, captain Granit Xhaka questioned the team’s “courage”, weeks after France defender Nordi Mukiele claimed the side had become “arrogant”.

BBC Sport understands Le Bris’ job is not in immediate danger and he will be given more time to turn things around.

The Frenchman, in charge since July 2024, is Sunderland‘s longest-serving manager since Steve Bruce, who was in charge between June 2009 and November 2011.

Le Bris has credit in the bank for winning promotion and then claiming a European spot.

This season he has managed to propel the Black Cats into the Carabao Cup quarter-finals, where they face fellow Premier League strugglers Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park.

But how long will Sunderland‘s hierarchy remain patient if the club, two points from safety, stay anchored in the bottom three?

“They ended last season quite well to get into Europe and that felt really historic,” former Sunderland loan signing Nedum Onuoha told BBC Sport.

“But there was talk then that maybe he [Le Bris] wasn’t quite the guy.

“Sunderland fans who probably had their doubts last season, I really doubt that they will be thinking he is the manager long term.”

French football expert Julien Laurens added about former Lorient boss Le Bris: “This is not looking good.

“I look at Sunderland and I’m not seeing him find the solutions to turn things around. For me that is really worrying.”

Sunderland, who were playing in League One as recently as 2022, were lauded as one of the stories of last season, after doing the double over Chelsea and fierce rivals Newcastle, as well as holding both Arsenal and Manchester City at home.

The numbers suggest repeated success was always going to be difficult.

Only relegated Burnley and Wolves had a lower Expected Goals difference – comparing the amount of good chances created to those chances created against them – than Sunderland last campaign.

How about that dreaded second-season syndrome then. Is it even a thing?

Not according to the stats.

Last season Sunderland and Leeds became the 53rd and 54th promoted sides to survive in the Premier League.

Of the previous 52, only 11 were relegated the following season (21%). The vast majority of promoted teams that stay up do not suffer from second-season syndrome.

With three-quarters of the Premier League season to go, Sunderland will rightly argue there is plenty of time to save themselves.

Yet those heady days of 12 months ago must feel a long way off.

Two of Sunderland‘s seven league goals this season have come from the penalty spot, while they have finished with 10 men in defeats by Arsenal (Reinildo Mandava sent off), Bournemouth (Kevin Danso sent off) and Coventry (Omar Alderete sent off).

Meanwhile, Sunderland have failed to score a first-half goal in seven of their nine league games.

“Having been promoted many will have believed Sunderland exceeded expectations by finishing in the European places last season,” added Onuoha, who made 31 Premier League appearances for the club in 2010-11.

“This season it is five points from nine games with seven goals scored. That speaks for itself in some ways – especially when three of those seven goals came in one game [a 3-5 defeat at Manchester City].

“It doesn’t feel at the minute that things are heading in the right direction.”

Sunderland spent £161m on 15 new players after winning promotion to the Premier League in the summer of 2025.

This time round, just £60m was invested on five players.

Most fans, however, will have been delighted to keep hold of experienced captain Xhaka and forward Brian Brobbey, who scored seven league goals last season before going on to score three for the Netherlands at the World Cup.

Brobbey, who has signed a new contract until 2031, has yet to score since returning from a hamstring injury, while former Arsenal midfielder Xhaka was downbeat after last weekend’s defeat at newly promoted Coventry.

“I don’t know exactly what the problem is,” said the Switzerland midfielder.

“Is it concentration? Is it other things? We are bottom of the league but in football you need to think positive and to show courage as well.

“This is not the case at the moment.”

Carl Jenkinson, who was at Arsenal with Xhaka, told BBC Sport his former team-mate’s remarks were “concerning”.

“He seemed really deflated and that is very unlike Granit,” added the former full-back, who made 41 Premier League appearances for the Gunners between 2011 and 2019.

Laurens said the form of Xhaka and Mukiele, who helped Sunderland towards 11 clean sheets in the top flight last season, had dipped significantly this season.

“They are the leaders and they are way below the levels they had,” he added. “The first one to pay the price [for the team’s poor form] is usually the manager.”

For many, the reason for Sunderland‘s current struggles appears obvious – the added demand of Europe.

Their first European campaign since 1973 means at least eight games in the Europa League. Unlike in the Premier League, Sunderland have started well in Europe, winning two and drawing one of their first three league phase matches.

“Europe is great,” added Laurens. “Sunderland fans will be travelling to Milan, it’s wonderful.

“It could be a distraction for the players – especially the ones who have never played in Europe before. It’s less time to practise on the training pitch.

“You play Thursday-Sunday and that’s a very different dynamic to what Sunderland had last season.”

Sunderland have lost two and drawn one of their three Premier League games after playing in Europe.

They could certainly do with beating Chelsea on Sunday after playing Dinamo Zagreb to lift the mood.

Otherwise it is going to be an unhappy international break for Sunderland and their passionate fanbase.