Dunk on Conference League: 'We have to try to win it'

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Albion skipper reflects on a season of ups and downs and looks forward to a second campaign in Europe,

Nick Szczepanik

2026-05-27T06:00+01:00

Lewis Dunk is looking forward to a second season of European competition.📷James Boardman

Lewis Dunk believes that Albion can target winning the UEFA Conference League next season after qualifying on the final day of the season.

“I think we have to try, don't we?” the Albion skipper said. “We will see where we end up. I think if you look at the European competitions this year with the number of English teams in all the finals it gives us hope. I think we have to back ourselves.

“You never know what will happen. We know the quality we have, we know the fight we have. Let's see where the road in Europe takes us. Let's see where we end up.”

The skipper insists that the competition should not be devalued by any regrets about the Europa League or even the Champions League.

“I think it's massive,” he said. “Obviously, we wanted better, but it's Europe. If you look at us three or four months ago, we were having different conversations about the bottom of the league. I think it's credit to us as a team and staff, the way we fought back and got ourselves in this position to be able to fight for Europe in the last game of the season.”

Lewis admits he was unsure of the European qualification picture when Sunday's game against Manchester United finished. “When the final whistle went, I was gutted,” he said. “I thought we were out of where we wanted to be. Then someone said we were waiting three minutes for the [Liverpool v Brentford] game to finish.

“It was a long three minutes, but it was a nice feeling when that confirmation came through. It feels great, we're back in Europe and our fans are travelling to Europe again, so we're buzzing.

Lewis Dunk celebrates with the Albion fans after victory over AEK Athens in the 2023-24 Europa League campaign. 📷Paul Hazlewood

“James Milner said to me after the game, 'it's been 24 years and I've never celebrated a 3-0 loss!' It was a funny game sometimes, but we're back where we want to be.”

Dunk would like Milner to remain at the club, especially with the greater demands likely to be put on the squad by European competition.

“I hope so,” he said. “He's been incredible since he's come to the football club. To be the age he is and how fit he is and how determined and how every detail matters is nothing like I've ever seen before. He's one in a million.

“He's driven us on. If you look at the period when we had only one win in 14 he came back in the team and changed it. All credit to him for making us fight and bounce back to get where we want to be. He's an incredible player and human and hopefully he's there for another year."

Dunk says Milner's qualities were evident throughout the campaign before it ended with European football secured again.

“It's been a tough season. There have been periods when it's not gone well and periods where it's gone really well. Overall, it wasn't consistent, but there was a lot of fight and hunger and desire. I think we showed what we're about as a team, we never give up.”

On the contributions of two other senior players, Dunk added: “Pascal [Gross] coming back to the club was big as well. He is a massive influence. He's loved by every fan, every player and every staff member in the building.

"Every year he's been here, he's been incredible. He's another one in the leadership group who helps drive the players on. Every single day he's at it and he's hungry, so the more people like that we can have makes us better.

“Danny [Welbeck] has been outstanding. It's the most goals he's ever scored and he's probably the fittest he's ever been, so credit to him. He's found a good rhythm and hopefully he can carry it on next year.”