Sporting CP 3 Club Brugge KV 0
Wednesday November 26th, 2025
Estádio José Alvalade
Champions League Matchday 6
The Warm Up
A feeling of déjà vu as the lions take on Club Brugge for the second straight season in the new group stage of the new Champions League. Last time out in the Jan Breydel Stadium which they share with city rivals Cercle Brugge, the Belgians won 2-1. The defeat was the fourth straight in all competitions for the new mister João Pereira whose run as Sporting coach would last just seven games. The lions raced to a 1-0 lead after just 2 minutes and 18 seconds when Araújo's shot came back off the post into the path of Geny and he gratefully tucked it into the net. The home side equalised on 23 minutes when a shot deflected off Eduardo Quaresma inside the six yard box. Full admission I'd backed the youngster to score anytime so I claim full responsibility for his own goal and I sat on the naughty step for 46 minutes thinking about my actions. Either that or to get out of watching the game, my memory isn't what it used to be. The winner came 7 minutes from time as the lions sat back and tried unsuccessfully to see out the 90 minutes for a point.
Despite keeping five sheets in the group stage of last season's competition they qualified for the play offs in last place, one place behind the lions on goal difference.
However unlike Sporting who would be defeated by BVB, the Belgians claimed the scalp of Atalanta who the season before had claimed the Europa League title as well as giving the lions a torrid time over the course of four separate meetings in the same competition. However their fortune ran out in the knockouts proper losing 6-1 on aggregate to Aston Villa. Going into this round of fixtures they sit 22nd above Frankfurt and Napoli in the play off spots, three points off Sporting who occupy 13th place. Last season's record was the same as Sporting's, played 8, won 3, drawn 2, lost 3. Their goals for just 7 compared to the lions 13, conceding 11, 1 less than the lions. Sporting if you discount the Arsenal game conceded on average 1 goal per game whilst Brugge shipped their 11 in just 3 games so both teams whilst clearly capable at the back at times are guilty of shooting themselves in the foot in style.
You'd be hard pressed to argue that their game against Barcelona at home in their last Champions League fixture wasn't the match of the round as they tied 3-3. Barca who derived so much success in their previous campaign from their high line and ability to catch their opponents offside came undone by the Portuguese Carlos Forbs who scored a brace and his recent performances were rewarded with a debut in the 9-1 win at home to Armenia in the World Cup qualifiers. I'm sure many older lions watching on would have been reminded of the sight of Sebastián Coates being caught out numerous times in his early Sporting career trying to track back carrying his invisible caravan. At least we now have Maxi Araújo who can time his sending's off to perfection on the edge of an area if it all goes Pete Tong in this game.
Their Champions League campaign started in the qualifying rounds as they took on RB Salzburg. They definitely hadn't remembered their shooting boots missing 3 of their 4 big chances although the one they took was enough to come away from Austria with a 1-0 lead to take into the second leg. Vermant with the goal 16 minutes before the end of time. They found themselves 2-0 down and therefore 2-1 on aggregate after 42 minutes of the return leg. Seys brought the tie level at 2-2 on the hour, Forbs made it 3-2 with 8 minutes to go and Vanaken put the tie to bed 3 minutes into additional time and the Belgians went through 4-2 on aggregate. Five of their six Opta defined big chances missed although the XG of 2.76 to 0.94 would suggest despite their early scare that the right team won on the night.
Glasgow Rangers up next under their new mister Russell Martin's whose tenure was already coming off the rails and won't have been helped by the two legs against the Belgians who scored their only big chance of the first game in Glasgow in a 3-1 win. Goals from Vermant after just 2 minutes, Spileers after 6 and Mechele after 19 rocked the Ibrox crowd. Danilo scored a consolation goal in the second half but they must have gone to Belgium fearing the worst and that's exactly what happened. I think the technical term is filling your boots as the Belgians smashed Rangers 6-0. NINE Opta defined big chances which they missed four of so it could have been even worse on the night. XG 4.27 to 0.12. Total attempts 32 to just 3. Utter annihilation and humiliation for the away side and it would come as no surprise to see Martin's fired from his position not long after. They were already one goal behind when Max Aaron's was sent off in the 7th minute. Vanaken, Seys (2), Stankovic and Tzolis with the other goals as they went through 9-1 on aggregate and qualified for the League format.
They got off to a flier with a 4-1 demolition of AS Monaco at home. Tresoldi, Onyedika and Vanaken gave them a 3 goal lead at half time. Diakhon added a fourth in the second half before Barca's forgotten man Ansu Fati, now on loan with the Ligue 1 side scored the consolation on 90 minutes. The Belgians with double the attempts 26 to 13, scored 2 of their 5 big chances. Monaco missed their sole big chance created.
Atalanta away next and the Serie A side gained revenge for their aforementioned defeat in last season's competition winning 2-1. Brugge once more guilty of not putting their big chances away missing 2 of 2, whereas the Italians scored 2 of their 4. Tzolis had given them the lead before half time before Atalanta completely turned the game on its head in the second half. I wonder if being the away team in your change kit of white and blue trim it gets confusing when the home side are sporting the blue and black you'd normally be wearing? Mind you no more confusing than having Nike as your shirt manufacturers producing ten kits a season. Was it Geny who gave a throw in to an opposition player which led to them scoring? Whoever it was I gave them the benefit of the doubt as it felt like something stupid I might have done.
Next came one of our shared opponents in the form of Bayern München at the Allianz Arena. The Bundesliga league leaders came into the game having won every single game in all competitions and left with that record intact running out 4-0 winners on the night. They have just lost their perfect record going into the international break drawing 2-2 to Union Berlin. FC Hollywood 3 goals to the good after just 33 minutes added a fourth 12 minutes before the end of time. The Belgians unsurprisingly given the score line failed to register a single big chance. Bayern missed 5 of their 7 and a massive warning to Sporting of their attacking capability. The XG 4.2 to just 0.25.
Which brings us full Cercle to Barca as they say in some parts of Brugge, just not the blue and black part. The Belgians scored 3 of their 5 big chances on the night with the Spanish scoring 2 of their 4. XG 2.14 to 2.4 but most interestingly the Belgians with 10 attempts to 23. Those numbers for Barca will make familiar reading to Sportinguista's I'm sure this campaign who've been equally as wasteful in the final third of far too many games to date. Tresoldi put the Belgians ahead after five minutes for reference, having previously mentioned the brace from Forbs. Lamine Yamal with an incredible individual second half goal that would have been worth the entrance fee alone.
So played 4, won 1, drawn 1 losing both away fixtures, GF 8 GA 10. You imagine this fixture is one both sides have down as a must win if they're to progress to the playoffs. Sporting follow this fixture with games to Bayern München and PSG. No pressure gentlemen going into this game needing three points then.
At the time of writing they're 14 games into their league campaign sitting second to Union St.Gilloise 4 points off the pace. 9 wins, 2 draws and 3 defeats, GF 21, GA 13. Their troubles have come on the road winning just half of their 8 games, 1 draw and their 3 defeats all coming away. Just 7 goals scored albeit despite those 3 losses they've still only conceded 6 goals in total.
Of the 21 scored 16 coming from open play, 4 from set pieces and 1 own goal. They've yet to score from either a penalty or direct free kick. Fifty goals in all competitions. Having played out possibly the best Champions League game of the season I suspect they've also played the best game the Belgian League will see all season as they drew at home to Westerlo. Possibly one of the greatest adverts for why you leave the pub on time and be seated before kick off and wait until the half time whistle before emptying your bladder and stay until the very end. The opponents 1-0 up after a minute and 2-0 up a minute into additional time. Brugge pulled one back three minutes into additional time to go in at half time with the scoreline 1-2. Within 10 minutes of the restart they've made it 3-2. On the hour mark 3-3, by 70 minutes 3-4. Five from time 4-4. There must have been limbs in the stands with an own goal one minute into additional time and it's now 5-4 and the comeback complete… except it wasn't as Westerlo book marked their goals scoring exploits with one final goal 7 minutes into additional time and the game finished an incredible 5-5. Shades of Vitória 4 Sporting CP 4 from last season. My heart won't take another one or those this season.
Christos Tzolis top scorer with 5 and Tresoldi with 4. Nine league scorers in total with 4 players on 2 goals, 3 on 1 and the other the Westerlo OG. Tzolis with the most assists on 3 joint with Carlos Forbs so it seems natural to suggest those three players mentioned here will potentially prove the biggest threat to the lions if involved on the night.
They were formed in the November of 1891 as Brugsche FC by students of two local schools. By 1897 they had transitioned to being known as Football Club Brugeois. In 1920 that was amended again to Royal Football Club Brugeois and only as late as 1972 do we find their current iteration of name, Club Brugge Koninklijke Voetbalvereniging. At times they've been known by both French names and Dutch. I'm assuming this is like French Fries having nothing to do with France. In Belgium teams who've reached their 50th year anniversary are awarded the honour of being called Royal and the Blauw-Zwart (Blue-Black) have merged with three other Royal clubs which is a Belgian record. Confused? Wait until you see the Belgium play off system to decide who wins the title.
They are the only Belgian side to have reached the finals of the European Cup where they lost to Liverpool in 1978. They also lost to the reds in 1976 in the UEFA Cup Final. Daniel Amakochi became the first ever player to score in the Champions League in November of 1992 in a 1-0 win over CSKA Moscow. Keep that one in the back of the mind if ever asked which side scored the first ever Champions League goal at a pub quiz.
Their club mascot is a bear which is related to the legend that the Count of Flounders fought and defeated a bear in his youth. I'm going to call bullshit on that one. So brace yourself for the arrival of Belle, Bene and Bibi for photos with Jubas. We'll see if the clubs social media team put the clip over another musical bed which contains the lyrics shit and fuck as they did on YouTube with the Juventus Zebra. Imagine showing that one to your kids thinking they'll like it and learning some new words in English. At a conference last week Sporting announced their intention to become amongst other things a lifestyle brand. Maybe fire your social media team first having also used a bed with the n word in one of the videos promoting the stadium build. Unfuckingbelivable really in this day and age. Anyways I digress. No way did Ned Flanders defeat the bear. Who'd win in a fight between three bears and a lion? Depends if they've fucked with his porridge I guess. What? I'm allowed to swear, you're not giving your five year old your phone and saying read this are you? Well I hope not anyways.
Having flicked through some bits this afternoon in preparation for writing this I was going to mention how Belgium-centric their squad is and it turns out not quite as much as I thought with 12 nationals and 16 foreign players. Flag designers stole a fucking living back in the day didn't they? Sorry typing aloud rather than thinking aloud as I'm looking at the Belgian and German flags. If the Côte d’Ivoire make a World Cup and Ireland don't I'll be OK let's put it that way.
Their mister Nicky Hayen lists the Welsh side of Haverfordwest County amongst his previous clubs he's taken the helm at. That's quite a jump up to Champions League football. Someone missed out on one heck of a Welsh football documentary series there. Hindsight is a wonderful thing.
Their majority shareholder is the Belgian entrepreneur Bart Verhaeghe. He made his fortune selling Belgian names to the Simpsons creators. He's a member of the European Club Association and sits on the UEFA Club Competitions Committee so I imagine we can blame him in part for now having to sit through the two extra games as our injury list grows once more. Thanks Bart. Between 2014 and 2024 under his stewardship the club have achieved the best results of any Belgian club side in the top flight and over an 8 year period between 2011 and 2020 he grew the clubs annual turnover from €43m to €137m. In the 2022/23 season that improved even further to €176m. A new stadium set to be built on the site of the present one should help increase future revenues for the club. Recent investment has come from US equity investment fund Orkila Capital who will hold 23.36% of the club's shares. The controlling interest of 71.89% split between Bart and Grizzly Sports NV. Some shit you really couldn't make up. I'll stick to the bear necessities from now until the end of this preview, the simple bear necessities.
Unlike Portugal which now seemingly acts as a trading point for half the world's footballers every summer, the Belgian market appears to be a much calmer affair if dealings at Club Brugge are anything to go by as a marker.
Incoming
One for the Rizzle Kicks fans first off -
Mamadou (The Hump Hump) Diakhon from Reims for £7.1m
Aleksander (Meerkat) Stankovic from Internazionale for £7.5m
Seems a wise choice buying players used to playing in blue and black if you ask me.
Carlos Forbs from Ajax for £5
Ludovit Reis from Hamburger SV for £5.9m
That's a bloody expensive hamburger no? Should have gone to McDonald's.
Nicolo Tresoldi from Hannover 96 for £5.6m
Alejandro Granados from Club NXT for free
That's it just six players. Are you reading Alverca?
Outgoing
Michal Skoras to Gent £1.5m
Josef Bursik to Portsmouth £681,000
Ardon Jashari to AC Milano for £30m
Christ that's an expensive erection.
Chemsdine Chelbi to Sunderland £17m
Maxim De Cuyper to Brighton £17m
Illyès Benachour to St.Truiden for free
Casper Nielsen to Standard Liege for £581,000
Ferrán Jutglà to Celta Vigo for £4.2m
Sporting of course now have their own Belgian connection in the form of Zeno Debast who made his name at Anderlecht before his transfer to Portugal the summer before last. Whilst his former team and Club Brugge aren't geographical rivals, their games are awarded the status of a Clássico and is referred to as De Klassiker (Dutch for the Classic) or the Topper (Dutch for who's the topperest side in Belgium maybe?) Dutch speakers consider it to be the main rivalry whilst French speakers would consider Anderlecht v Standard Liege to be more important. Anderlecht do currently have the upper hand in terms of overall total historical wins over Club Brugge and I'm sure their visiting fans will give Debast a warm, courteous and friendly welcome if he's fit once more to feature. Or maybe not.
Next up for the Belgians before the Champions League tie is a league game at home to Sporting Charleroi on Saturday evening at 1945. The lions face AC Marinhense in the Taça de Portugal earlier in the evening at 1800 and are expected to give as many first teamers the night off as possible however Sporting B face Chaves at 11am the following morning so it probably won't be the case as against Alverca in the Taça da Liga that we see a bench made up of only kids.
Saturday update - Club Brugge recorded a 1-0 win with the goal coming from Vanaken just before the hour mark. This their one big chance during the 90 minutes. Final XG 1.27 to 0.89. The win leaves them still 4 points behind Union St.Gilloise in second place who beat city rivals Cercle 2-0.
Sporting B
A draw away to Chaves 0-0 Saturday lunchtime. Maritímo's win on Sunday draws them level on points with the lions but having played a game more.
Starting XI
Callai, Dias, Moreira, Romulo, J.Silva, Couto, Felicíssimo, Oliveira, Cardoso, Nel and Mendonca.
Substitutes Used
Justo, Anjos, G.Silva, Besugo and Kissanga
Champions League future opponents roundup
Tuesday
Slavia Prague v Athletic Club
The Basque side from La Liga travelled to the Czech Republic looking to improve on a poor start to the campaign which had seen them win just one of their opening four games which came against Qarabag at home 3-1. Previous to tonight they'd suffered defeats at the hands of Arsenal 2-0, BVB 4-1 and Newcastle 2-0. Despite creating four big chances in the game to Slavia's 1, Athletic were unable to find the net and the game finished in a stalemate at 0-0. They face the lions in the final group game after the New Year.
Wednesday
Arsenal v Bayern München
PSG v Spurs
In the markets
Sporting CP 7/10
Draw 11/4
Club Brugge 15/4
Team News
Starting XI
Silva, Fresneda, Diomande, Inácio, Araujo, Simões, Hjulmand, Quenda, Trincão, Geny and Suárez
Substitutes
Virgínia, Reis, Vagiannidis, Ramos, Quaresma, Mangas, Morita, Kochorashvili, Blopa, Alisson, Ribeiro and Gonçalves
Ten changes to the XI that started the win in the Taca de Portugal. Trincão once more the non change. Ramos, Blopa, Ribeiro and Gonçalves amongst the substitutes
Club Brugge Starting XI
29 Jackers, 65 Seys, 44 Mechele, 4 Ordonez, 41 Sique, 15 Onyedika, 25 Stankovic, 8 Tzolis, 20 Vanaken, 9 Forbs and 17 Vermant
For anyone interested this is how the lions lined up last time the two sides met. Had it not been for Inácio getting injured in the warm up we'd not have looked that different. An upgrade in goal and clearly a downgrade up front, not that Gyökeres found the net. Where did it all go wrong for Brito?
Starting XI in the 2-1 defeat
Israel, Reis, Diomande, Quaresma, Geny, Hjulmand, Simões, Quenda, Araújo, Gyökeres and Trincão
Substitutes
Kovačević, Callai, Arreíol, St Juste, Debast, Fresneda, Esgaio, Brito, Edwards, Harder and Couto
First Half
Sporting in their traditional green and white horizontal stripes attack right to left. Brugge get us underway. Forbs apparently in the youth setup as a youngster, another one that got away. He'll be eager to impress again after a great display against Barcelona.
1 Mistake from Jackers at the back sees his clearance sliced to Hjulmand. The lions will do well to make a mental note of that ahead
1 Quenda has started deep on the left looking to link up play
2 Sensational play from Araújo on the left with a back heel to lose his marker. Found Quenda who took a touch to make space but ultimately shanked his shot wide from 19 yards
3 Ordonez goes through the back of Suárez and a free kick awarded. The Brugge player looks perplexed at the referee
4 Suárez claims the corner but the referee disagrees. Not like Sporting to have controversy over whether a corner is awarded correctly
5 Sporting by far the more positive side in the opening five minutes. Brugge happy to sit back
6 Forbs chases down a ball into the area and forces it towards Silva who collects at the near post
6 Geny bursts into the box on the right but his final ball finds a light blue shirt
7 Neat work by Hjulmand in and around the box, he played Araújo in acres of space, the Uruguayan looks to find Suárez in the centre but over cooks the pass and out of play
8 RED Hjulmand shown the red card. High boot from the Dane caught Stankovic as he looked to withdraw his foot at the last moment and made contact... VAR intervention and the referee has gone to the monitor.
10 Yellow. Downgrade for Hjulmand. Sigh of relief around the Alvalade. There was no intent there but to be fair to the referee from his angle it probably looked worse than it was
11 Inácio concedes a corner on the near side. Sporting clear. Silva looked for Quenda with a long ball but Brugge aware of the danger. They've clearly earmarked this as a tactic with a succession of attempts to date
12 Big challenge from Araújo sliding in brings a huge cheer from the faithful.
13 Cross from the right headed well wide by Seys from 8 yards and ends up towards the corner flag and out for a goal kick
13 Blocked shot from 12 yards by Tzolis out for a corner far side. Good defending by Inácio
14 Tzolis effort goes out for a goal kick from distance
16 Simões penalised for nibbling at the heels of Forbs on the halfway line
18 The last ten minutes have seen Brugge firmly in the ascendency
19 Yellow to Onyedika for a foul on Quenda. Wild swipe and Quenda with a 9 for the dive to avoid the contact. Promising position a yard outside the left of the 18 yard box
20 Poor free kick from Quenda. First man heads clear. Ball found its way to Geny who fires wide of the left hand post from 20 yards
22 Great play for Hjulmand in midfield dances away between two Brugge players
22 Suárez brings a save from Jackers from 20 yards. He had Geny open on the right but cut back onto his left and fires low
23 GOAL Sporting CP 1 Club Brugge 0. Long ball from the left hand of the lions defence played out wide right. Geny's run took him into the area and his shot from the edge of the right hand of the six yard box deflected off a defender and parried out by Jackers. The deflection found its way to Quenda who turned on a six pence to slot home into the bottom left hand corner with three defenders in front of him and into the net from 10 yards
27 The showing of the red card had knocked the wind out the sails of the lions and the Belgians had grown into the game more and more from that point. That goal came at the right time
28 Tzolis rolls around in the box like he's been shot. Referee totally uninterested. Fresneda didn't even make contact. Should really have been booked for simulation in instances like that
30 GOAL Sporting CP 2 Club Brugge 0. Suárez drinks the ball over Jackers from 10 yards. Shades of Gyökeres against Manchester City in that finish especially given Brugge also in light blue tonight. That came from a long ball out of defence on the left again. Headed on by a Brugge player in midfield which fell straight to Geny who turned and played the Colombian in clear on goal. His run into the box finishes with an exquisite finish. His second goal of the week.
33 Trincão shot blocked from 27 yards centrally
34 Araújo runs from the left hand wing into the box and decides to shoot from a narrow angle but sends it wide of the far post. Anguish on his face, anguish on mine I've got money on him to have a shot on target
36 A rare moment of anger from the mister on the sideline as a throw awarded to Brugge under his nose
37 Vermant penalised for a foul on Araújo who shall we saw made the most of the contact. Tom Daily would have been proud of that twist in mid air
38 Trincão has fans on their feet as his shot from 20 yards just past the top left hand corner of post and bar
42 Ball bent into Suárez by Trincão who heads wide from 7 yards. Colombian lost where he was on the pitch there
Plus three shown
+1 Forbs smashes into Araújo and concedes a corner in the process. Amazingly the Uruguayan bounces up with no complaints
Half time
Sporting CP 2 Club Brugge 0
Hearts in mouth when Hjulmand was shown the red card early on. The lions had dominated the opening of the game and the decision knocked the wind out of the sails but from the point Quenda opened the scoring it was all Sporting. The Suárez finish hammering another nail into the Belgians hopes of repeating their win from 11 months ago. In their draw at Barca they were the beneficiaries of a high line from the Spaniards. Sporting definitely not making that mistake and have actually used the Belgians higher line to their advantage. If you watch the goals back they both start just outside the Sporting area with a long ball. If it works, go with it. Proof for me that the mister is far more tactically sound than certain sections of the fan base give him credit for. The job only half done for now, a third goal early on in the second half wouldn't do any harm especially given Sporting have conceded in each of their Champions League matches to date.
The lions have certainly looked defensively sound. Silva with incredibly little to do in the opening half. Inácio was more than equal to the dangers posed when the Belgian's were in the ascendency. The two goal lead has definitely allowed Araújo to get further forward on the left and the vast majority of space was to be found on that flank. Flashes of brilliance from Trincão who looks eager to add to his brace in the Taça. Having already left a lot of space at the back the Belgians are in real danger of being exposed further if and when they start to chase the game. With Hjulmand on the yellow you wonder if Morita will be readied to take his place with twenty or so minutes to go if everything still in their favour and just add a bit of extra calm to proceedings. Other than that potential danger a positive display.
Second Half
Sporting with 11 attempts to the Belgians 3 and an XG of 0.84 to 0.12 in the first half. The lions are at the Bon Jovi stage - half way there though they've not necessarily been living on a prayer. Let's hope that attack is the best form of defence second half and they look to press home their advantage.
The Belgians sent back out first. Sporting get us back underway.
45 Forbs finds Vermant on the edge of the right of the six yard box. He fires into the side netting off balance. That came from Sporting losing possession around their area and the ball ricocheted off Hjulmand to the Portuguese. Surprised he elected to pass and not try fulfil a childhood dream of scoring in the Alvalade
47 Post. Suárez runs from the halfway line with just the keeper to beat. Rounds Jackers but under pressure from a defender somehow contrived to hit the post. All credit to Sique whose intervention has kept his side in it. The Colombian with two step overs went round the keeper to the left. Looks like Sique got a touch onto Suárez in the final play and the deflection took the ball onto the post from 7 yards out. Either way it's a huge miss which hopefully won't cost the lions
48 Suárez brings a save from ten yards in the follow up
50 Corner near side for Brugge. Referee stops play for a head injury to Inácio in the centre
53 Araújo dumps Forbs on his backside and breaks down the left. He always rises his game for the Champions League
55 The lions with every man back within a space of 30 yards between the 18 yard box and 6 yards into their own half happy to sit back and soak up the pressure
56 Corner Brugge near side found Mechele who heads wide from 6 yards
57 Interception from Geny on the right. Twice he's been the man in the right place in the opening 12 minutes of this half in support of the defence
58 Lions clear the danger again. Sea of green and white shirts inside the box for Brugge to try get past
60 Simões picks up the ball and drives forward from defence and wins a foul. Great play from the youngster to relieve the pressure
60 ➡️⬅️ Tresoldi for Vermant
62 Morita stepping forward has a final word with the mister. Will it be for Simões or Hjulmand?
62 ➡️⬅️ Simões for Morita. The Japanese international delivers instructions to Geny as he enters the pitch
63 Tresoldi with a big chance pokes the ball wide from 8 yards. Big let off for the lions . Great through ball. Fresneda and Diomande cut in half from outside the area to pick out the run of the substitute
65 I hope I'm not waking up in a cold sweat having had Suárez’s miss haunt me later on tonight
65 Diomande laid crestfallen in the centre. Suggest he's buying time rather than injured… he's up without treatment. Replays showing Tzolis diving again outside the area. Why has he not been booked for simulation?
67 Yellow to Tzolis for a challenge on Fresneda. Had he been booked for one of his two dives he'd be off now
68 Sporting force Brugge into a mistake in the final third. This the first time the lions have been in their half since the Suarez miss
69 GOAL Sporting CP 3 Club Brugge 0. Trincão slots home from 11 yards into the bottom right hand corner from a Quenda pass. Araújo started the move on the left of the area and found Quenda open in the box, his pass back across the was somewhat poor in fairness looking like he was trying to find Araújo but instead found Trincão who said thank you very much
72 Geny stings the hands of Jackers from 13 yards
73 ➡️ ⬅️ Vetlesen for Forbs. Stankovic for Diakhon. Not to be the homecoming for Forbs he'd have wanted.
74 Trincão mugs off Seys who responds by clattering into the Portuguese and is shown the yellow
74 ➡️ ⬅️ Quenda for Allison. Geny for Blopa who makes his Champions League debut.
75 Araújo playing air ball with his shot 20 yards out. I say shot. Would have been if he'd connected
76 Bragança fully focused in the stands on…his phone. Probably on camera and he's admiring himself
77 Fresneda fires in a shot at the near post from the tightest of angles forces a corner near side
78 With the 3 goal cushion Sporting now turning it on and looking for a fourth
78 The lions apparently up to 8th in the live table. Shame we've Bayern and PSG next up
80 ➡️ ⬅️ Romero and Spileers on. Seys and Siquet off
82 The lions with two more men readied on the sides. Reis and Ribeiro it is
82 Corner far side for Brugge. Lions clear once more
83 Onyedika tries from 30 yards saved by Silva. That was Brugge’s first effort on target
84 ➡️ ⬅️ Suárez departs for Ribeiro. Araújo for Reis
86 Sporting transition from one box to another. At the end of it all Alisson's pass goes astray however and the ball bounces around like a pinball machine in the 70s and the Belgians clear
88 Hjulmand draws a foul in midfield and the lions can run down the clock once more
88 Stern faces on the Belgians bench desperate no doubt to be put out of their misery
Full time
+1 Reis shot from 10 yards deflects for a corner far side
+2 Terrific support inside the stadium tonight as the Sportinguista's lift the noise once more, they've really enjoyed themselves
+3 Ribeiro plays Blopa free inside the box Jackers quickly out and saves the shot and takes a whack to his midriff for his pains. No where near as clear cut an opportunity for the Suárez miss but the youngster clearly gutted he's not taken that chance
+4’54 With the keeper still down receiving treatment and the ball not put back into play the referee sensibly calls a halt to proceedings
Plus four minutes
The final word
The lions get revenge for defeat in Belgium eleven months ago. A valuable 3 points and a clean sheet to boot for the first time in this season's competition. Bayern up next for them on Matchday 6 and the German's will no doubt prove a much sterner test.
I wonder if João Pereira was watching on tonight from his home in Turkey wondering how different his life could have been? No fireworks thrown onto the pitch at full time tonight, no revolt from the fans. They'd sat back in Belgium in the same manner as they did tonight but Borges' team with the benefit of a two goal cushion. Brugge didn't impress me last season and were far worse tonight. For all their possession second half, just the one real opportunity that was poked wide. Rui Silva was man of the match against Juventus for me, tonight he could have brought a thermos flask and Kit Kat and put his feet up.
Credit to Rui Borges and his coaching team they got that spot on tonight with their tactics. It should have been four. How costly that miss proves to be by Suárez, if at all, we'll find out after Matchday 8. Could be especially big if we get our arses handed to us in either of the next two matches.
It could have been so very different had the referee not overturned his initial decision to send Hjulmand off but for those who moan about VAR that's why it exists and the right decision was made in the end and that's all that matters.
It was a grown up performance. The lions are learning that European football is a far different beast than that of domestic football. Again that's largely down to the coaching staff. They clearly did their homework tonight, identified where the Belgians were weakest and at their most vulnerable and Sporting took advantage to near perfection. It was no thrills football for large parts, but when they did have possession they were highly effective with it. That was the key difference between the two sides. Brugge would have had their egos stroked after a point against Barca and guilty of underestimating the lions. They'd have come expecting them to be on the front foot and leaving space to operate in at the back and found the total opposite. They probably can't get home soon enough.
Every man played their part no matter how big or small. Silva may not have had much to do but what he did have was done to perfection. The back line were only really threatened the once in the entire game. Tzolis was reduced to nothing more than throwing himself to the ground in a desperate attempt to con the referee which was to no effect other than for him to lose his rag and get booked for the foul on Fresneda. You wonder if the occasion was too much for Borgs on the right having left Lisbon for Manchester at the age of ten. They won't take your night against Barca away from you or your debut for Portugal. You've fulfilled a dream tonight and there are an awful lot of players that won't ever get the same opportunity.
Hjulmand has had one hell of a month. There'll be a few grey hairs starting to appear in his long locks soon enough. From the highs of the injury time Santa Clara winner to defeat with Denmark in Scotland where his error led to the 3rd goal, to being shown a red and having it overturned tonight. He had to adapt his game with the yellow round his neck like the proverbial albatross, but he did it to near perfection, benefitted by the younger legs of Simões who ended up doing the dirty work snapping at players heels. What a year that kid has had from making his debut, scoring his first goal to a season ending injury and to regain his place in the starting XI. He impresses me more every time I watch him play.
Geny's performance was indicative of the lions overall tonight, always backing up Fresneda on the right side of defence and a sign of real maturity from him. He doesn't always get it right but he's another player I always enjoy watching. All the forward players had these wonderful little vignettes of quality that stood out over the course of the 90. I'm really pleased with that Sporting performance.
Choice of four for man of the match. Araújo was sensational again tonight. He comes alive in this tournament and really is a player for the big occasions and the more he performs to that level the harder a job Sporting will have of keeping him. For a player being played out of his favoured position on the left wing you'd never know from his quality of output. I'm not sure if it was him or Inácio who began the play for the first two goals but either way the attacks started in his position at the back left or the four and his pass definitely found Quenda which led to the third. Solid in defence, his game knowledge is right up there in terms of quality and the youngsters in the squad should soak up all they can from him while they can. This is harder than it should be tonight though not from a lack of choice I hasten to add. Most I'm sure would add Suárez. Great finish for his goal but really should have put the game to bed when one on one. There was also a point in the first half when he could have played Geny in on goal and instead chose to cut inside and shoot himself. I can't bring myself to do it. I'm instead going to go Hjulmand for my second choice. Led by example and the fact he can adapt his game to the surroundings of 80 minutes one challenge away from a potential red card and still be highly effective in all areas of the pitch is a testimony to his quality. The final two slots I will go with Geny and Quenda. Geny finishes with two assists. Clearly the standard for an assist in the Champions League is lower than in the Portuguese Liga because I'm not sure I'd have given him one for Quenda's opener but that's what the end of game statistics are showing. It's his quick thinking and pass that found Suárez in space for the second goal. Caused plenty of nuisance on the right and had chances of his own to score. I think the most pleasing thing for me was his defensive work when Sporting came under relentless pressure at the start of the second half. Quenda comes away with the assist for the third albeit somewhat fortunately because as I alluded to in my minute by minute it wasn't the best hit pass you'll see in this season's competition. However the opening goal was superbly struck when you factor his position when the ball came to him and the fact it beat three defenders en route into the net. I'm going to say that's his best performance in a Sporting shirt this campaign. Far from perfect but his contribution overall certainly warranted an inclusion in the final four. Decision time. Hmmmm. I'm going to go Araújo for his overall performance. But credit to Fresneda, Diomande, Hjulmand, Geny, Trincão, Quenda and Suárez. Credit to them all who started. The substitutes had little impact in truth but it mattered little in the grand scheme of things.
Final XG 1.75 to 0.81. The lions missed 2 of their big 4 chances created. It should have been 4-0, could have even been five at the end with Blopa. Fingers crossed Jackers was OK in the end. Estrela up next.
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