Last Word on Football brings you the latest team news and the confirmed lineups ahead of the Torreense vs Sunderland Europa League clash today. The Black Cats are playing in a competitive European fixture away from home for the first time since 1973, and backed by thousands of their fans, will be hoping to return home with the three points.
Portuguese Second Division side Torreense are playing in its first-ever European competition this season. They qualified by winning the Portuguese Cup, shocking Sporting Lisbon in the final.
Torreense vs Sunderland: Europa League Team News and Confirmed Lineups
Torreense vs Sunderland.
Leiria city, Portugal. View of the stadium from the castle of Leiria, where Torrense will host Sunderland.
Torreense Team News
Nuha Jatta’s red card in the win at Lillestrøm means the midfielder will have to sit out this game.
Red cards collected at the weekend in the league by goalkeeper Adriel and defender Mohamed Ali Diadie will not rule them out of the Europa League, and they are available for selection
Manu Pozo, who scored the second goal in Norway, will be hoping for a recall today. He was dropped to the substitutes’ bench in the last game.
“We are really excited to be part of this story that we are building day by day. When I arrived [in 2024], nobody in Spain knew the club, but that is no longer the case.”
Javi Vásquez, Torreense defender
Sunderland Team News
The Black Cats will be without defenders Dan Ballard and Thomas Meunier, who both have hamstring injuries.
Striker Wilson Isidor is a doubt, and should he be ruled out, youngster Timur Tutierov could start.
Brian Brobbey and Habib Diarra have both trained this week and have travelled with the squad. However, it is likely they will start from the bench, having just recovered from injury.
“We have prepared for this game like a Premier League fixture,
with detailed analysis to understand how we can hurt their defence and create chances.
“The Premier League and the Europa League are relentless, so we have to maintain consistent standards.”
Head Coach Regis Le Bris
Torreense vs Sunderland Confirmed Lineups
Torreense
Will appear here as soon as announced
Sunderland
Will appear here as soon as announced
The Last Word: Match Prediction
Backed by several thousand of the Red and White army, Sunderland will go into this game as favourites and will be expected to come away with three points. However, the home side, despite having to play their Europa League games in Leiria, due to their own ground not meeting UEFA standards, will be hoping that the Black Cats have an off day and that they can replicate their performance in the cup final when they beat Sporting.
Regis Le Bris’s men should have too much for their hosts and with more away fans expected to be present than home fans, they should leave victorious.
Prediction: Torreense 1-3 Sunderland
Further Reading
Torreense vs Sunderland Predicted Lineups
Featured image courtesy of IMAGO / RHR-Foto