There is an appealing sense of history surrounding Sunderland’s Europa League journey to Portugal to meet Torreense on Thursday evening. Their previous competitive match in Europe came 53 years ago, when the FA Cup holders, then playing in the Second Division, faced Sporting in Lisbon in the return leg of a European Cup Winners’ Cup second-round tie.
In a remarkable echo of that occasion, second-division Torreense surprised many by defeating Sporting in last season’s Portuguese Cup final. That success secured entry into the opening stage of the Europa League, and their hopes of reaching next spring’s knockout rounds improved after a 2-1 victory over Lillestrom in Norway last month.
Torreense have found life difficult in LigaPro, sitting 15th after collecting six points from seven matches. Their opponents have also endured an uninspiring start to the Premier League season, with their only victory coming against fellow strugglers Fulham.
With Sunderland due to visit 18th-placed Bournemouth on Sunday, who trail them by one position and one point, Régis Le Bris is likely to make changes to his lineup. Despite that, Sunderland would still be expected to overcome Torreense.
Torreense usually play at the 2,431-seat Estádio Manuel Marques in Torres Vedras, 31 miles north of Lisbon, but the venue does not satisfy Uefa’s capacity requirements. As a result, the fixture has been relocated to the medieval city of Leiria, about an hour north of Torres Vedras and nearly two hours from Sunderland’s luxury hotel in Lisbon, chosen after appropriate accommodation could not be secured elsewhere.
Close to 4,000 Sunderland supporters are making the journey to the 23,888-capacity Estádio Dr Magalhães Pessoa, the regular home of second-tier União Leiria. Because hotel availability nearby is limited, some fans are staying in Lisbon or Porto, while others have booked rooms in surrounding towns and villages, including Fatima. A major Catholic pilgrimage destination, Fatima welcomes more than six million visitors annually. Supporters from Wearside exploring the area in predicted sunshine and temperatures of 25C may also hope for relief from the difficult months experienced at the Stadium of Light.
Sunderland have produced encouraging football in spells this season, but their failure to recruit a specialist right-sided winger during the summer has often forced Régis Le Bris to select two natural right-backs, Trai Hume and Thomas Meunier. Hamstring problems affecting Brian Brobbey and Dan Ballard have created difficulties in attack and defence, while the normally dependable Robin Roefs has made several unusual mistakes in goal.
The demanding schedule provides important context, as Sunderland’s opening six league matches included meetings with the current top four: Manchester City, Arsenal, Brighton and Brentford. Even so, concern could quickly turn into alarm if they fail to win either of their next two domestic fixtures, away to Bournemouth and at home against Leeds. There are also doubts over whether Malick Fofana, the £30m left-winger recruited from Lyon on deadline day, has the physical strength required for England’s top division. He has so far struggled to replace the inconsistent Nilson Angulo.
Sunderland confirmed on Tuesday evening that set-piece coach James Brayne had departed, with Thor Herdal appointed as his successor. The 34-year-old joins from Nordsjælland, where he led work on set pieces and analysis, and he has previously been part of Denmark’s national-team staff.
With another European trip to Poland to play Lech Poznan scheduled for next Thursday, reducing travel time and fatigue has become increasingly important. That is why Sunderland plan to fly directly from Lisbon to Bournemouth on Friday.
Torreense, however, have no intention of simply participating without offering a serious challenge. Their hometown is preparing for an annual national commemoration on 20 October, marking the contribution of the Lines of Torres Vedras, an extensive network of forts and military defences constructed in 1809-10 to protect Lisbon from French forces during the Peninsular war. The team will aim to show comparable resilience against opponents coached by a Frenchman and featuring numerous French-speaking players.
Sunderland must pay close attention to Stopira, Torreense’s influential 38-year-old captain and left-back, who represented Cape Verde at this summer’s World Cup. Creative midfielder João Marques and Ghanaian forward Malik Abubakari also pose significant threats. Sunderland’s objective is to take advantage of one final taste of southern European warmth and restore momentum to a season that is beginning to lose direction.
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