Sporting Lisbon and Lille will face off for the first time in the Champions League on Tuesday, as they open the new-look group stage at Estádio José Alvalade.
Portuguese champions Sporting, under the guidance of Ruben Amorim, are performing strongly, while their French opponents are still working to find consistency following a managerial change.
Sporting, a rising force in European football, has advanced to the knockout stages of UEFA competitions for the past three seasons—once in the Champions League and twice in the Europa League.
