Sunderland’s first European away game in 53 years brings a test against cup winners Torreense

Sunderland’s first European away fixture in more than 53 years takes them to Leiria to face a second-tier side that has already beaten Sporting CP and opened its Europa League campaign with a win. SCU Torreense may be outside Portugal’s top flight, but its cup run makes Thursday’s meeting more than a routine away trip for the Black Cats.

Torreense claimed their first Taça de Portugal title in May, beating Sporting 2-1 after extra time. Stopira scored the winning penalty late in the final, earning Luís Tralhão’s team a place in the 2026-27 Europa League league phase. They carried that momentum into Europe, winning 2-1 away to Norway’s Lillestrøm on September 17.

The hosts’ domestic status adds an unusual edge. Torreense missed promotion after losing their play-off against Casa Pia and have spent most of their history in Portugal’s second and third tiers. The club, founded in 1917, has had six seasons in the top division; its most recent was in 1992. Its first top-flight season, in 1955-56, ended with a seventh-place finish and a Portuguese Cup final defeat to Porto.

Sunderland also arrive with three points already on the board. Enzo Le Fée’s second-half penalty secured a 1-0 win over AZ Alkmaar at the Stadium of Light, marking the club’s return to European competition after more than five decades away. Now the Black Cats face their first European away test of this campaign against opponents who have already shown they can trouble a major Portuguese side.

The match is in Leiria, not at Torreense’s usual Estádio Manuel Marques in Torres Vedras. That ground holds about 2,400, so the club will use Estádio Dr. Magalhães Pessoa, with a capacity of almost 24,000, for its European fixtures. Redeveloped for Euro 2004, the stadium hosted two matches at the tournament, including Croatia’s 2-2 draw with France.

Sunderland’s European start contrasts with a difficult Premier League opening: they sit 17th with four points from six games and have lost three of their last five. After Thursday’s fixture, their next league match is away to Bournemouth on Sunday, October 18. The Europa League trip offers a chance to build on the AZ win before attention turns back to domestic points.