History counts for nothing, not now.

Morning all.

July 1906, Sporting Lisbon was born. It’s biggest rival is Benfica and the two clubs along with Porto are known in their homeland to be one of the “Três Grandes” (Big Three) clubs in Portugal. Never have Sporting been relegated from the Primeira Liga, not since 1934 anyway. One only has to type their name into google to see they’ve won plenty of silverware. Not for a while though and certainly not in Europe. They’re usually in one or the other of the two competitions but like us, have really just been making up the numbers.

The only player in their squad I recognise the name of is Nani, the ex Man Utd guy.

Like Arsenal, Sporting are going through changes. They lost of number of key players back in the summer and again like us, they’ve lost two matches so far this campaign. They sit fifth in what’s considered to be a three club league while we are in a marginally better position in our own league.

Uunai Emery:

“For us first this competition is very, very important and the opposition tomorrow is a very good team with a very good experience in this competition and with good players.

“Sporting changed players and also the coach this year but for us in this moment we are two teams both in the first position and our mind is to arrive first in this group and to continue in our way thinking how we can improve

His comments leave me wondering if we won’t see a stronger team selection to the previous Europa fixtures as he’s clearly determined to secure top spot. Whether or not Sporting feel the same I don’t know but I’d imagine so. Top spot in the group usually means a less tough opponent in the first knockout stage but not always. What won’t help us though is the clubs who drop down from the Champions League. There’s a few tasty sides looking pretty vulnerable right now. PSG, Totts, Benfica and Monaco, although the latter is far from being as good as the side which knocked us out of the Champions League a few years back.

Again like Arsenal, Porting appointed a new manager back in the summer. In José Peseiro. His managerial career has a list of clubs as long as you’re arm, including a previous stint with Sporting. None of the other clubs he’s been at are household names but regardless, expectation will be high.

As we talked about yesterday, tonight’s opposition have a decent record against English clubs in this competition but they’ll be aware of Emery’s record which is exceptional. He’s lost just one of his 20 group stage fixtures. in the Europa, (W11, D8) which includes his time at Valencia, Sevilla and now Arsenal. His counterpart tonight has won nothing on the European stage.

Yes, Sporting have a great record against English clubs in European competitions and yes, Arsenal have never won there but this is a very different Sporting Lisbon, just as we are a very different Arsenal. Back in the Spring, towards the end of the season, the Portuguese club was pretty much in a crisis. A group of fifty odd masked ‘fans’ attacked the team and staff whilst they were training/working. They were without a manager at the time and any chance of securing Champions League was gone. Players wanted out. They feared for their lives that day and didn’t want to  hang around for it to happen again. The clubs president left too among all the departures.

Any club would struggle to come back quickly from all they’ve been through which is probably why they sit where they do in the league.

History might favour the home side tonight but the present might not.