Bas Dost shares his thoughts on a well known adversary

Sporting's inside man when it comes to German football, having spent four seasons with Wolfsburg, Bas Dost was the obvious choice to speak ahead of Tuesday's Champions League hosting of Borussia Dortmund.

"I have played a lot of times against Borussia and I have scored a few against them too. It won't be easy, but we are properly prepared and we will do our best", said the Sporting striker, continuing with a word of thanks to the fans for their support since his arrival in the Portuguese capital: "I scored in our last game and I want to do it again tomorrow. I haven't given any advice to my coach and honestly he doesn't need it. He is ready for tomorrow. Our objective is to win in Alvalade, even if it is against Borussia or Real Madrid."

Jorge Jesus expecting a thriller against Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday night

Getting straight to the point in his pre-match press conference this Monday evening, ahead of the hosting of Borussia Dortmund on Champions League matchday 3, Jorge Jesus cast doubt on what would usually be his probable choice of Rúben Semedo: "He is still a bit limited, but we will look at him again tomorrow."

In relation to Tuesday's opposition, the Sporting boss is expecting a typical Champions League encounter: "The draw put us in a group with two of the competition's strongest teams. We have confidence in our ability and tomorrow could be crucial for who qualifies for the next round, but both teams have objectives past this match. Borussia are really strong in attack and I am sure we will see some goals tomorrow."

Speaking about what is a packed Dortmund medical room, Jorge Jesus cautioned against underestimating the German visitors. "Since the start of the season their strikers have been well above the average. They have a really strong squad with a coach that has his own style and that makes a difference. It will he hard, but the most important thing is the win, although a draw wouldn't be the end of the world. We are feeling confidence, like we were in Madrid", added Jesus, continuing on the tone of his side's memorable showing in the Spanish capital: "We have to praise Sporting for what we did there. We lost and we had a very good chance of getting some points from that match. We are facing another really strong team, but we want to repeat what we showed on matchday 1 tomorrow. It doesn't really matter if Dortmund are better than Real Madrid or now, what matters is that we are on the same level that we have been so far."

Asked about how he will be following the action, serving a suspension, Jesus noted: "The important decisions have already been made and I have my colleagues to decide what happens in specific moments of the match."

Sales news for coming fixtures

on Friday the 14th of October, Sporting Clube de Portugal will begin ticket sales at the Estádio José Alvalade ticket offices as follows:

BORUSSIA DORTMUND | CHAMPIONS LEAGUE MATCHDAY 4

14TH TO 19TH OF OCTOBER: Club Members with a Gamebox 2016/2017

20TH TO 25TH OF OCTOBER: Club Members

26TH TO 31ST OF OCTOBER: General public

Two types of tickets are available: GREEN ZONE (€44.90) and ORANGE ZONE (€48.10). There are limited numbers of Orange Zone tickets and these tickets are mixed with home fans. A valid Gamebox or Member card must be shown during the first two phases of sales, with September 2016 paid. Each card is valid for 1 ticket and each person may present a maximum of 4 cards. For security reasons, ticket sales will follow an order previously established with UEFA.

Kick-off is scheduled for 19h45 on the 2nd of November.

FC AROUCA | LIGA NOS MATCHDAY 10

Tickers start from €5 for Members and €22  for fans. Family tickets are available from €21 and are valid for 3 people, one of which must be a Club Member. Kick-off is scheduled for the 6th of November at 20h15.

Update on sales of Champions League group stage tickets

Sporting Clube de Portugal has issued the following update in relation to ticket sales for the coming Champions League fixtures in Estádio José Alvalade.

MATCHDAY 3 | SPORTING CP vs BORUSSIA DORTMUND

A total of 41,000 (82% of capacity) have already been sold and a sell-out is expected for the first time in European competitions.

Tickets are still available from €35 (Member) and €55 (fan) for the Central - B Stand.

This match is included in all Gamebox 2016/2017 packages.

MATCHDAY 5 | SPORTING CP vs REAL MADRID

The first phase of sales has finished. Only non-renewed special seats can purchase tickets up until the 25th of October.

The second phase of sales will begin on the 26th of October, will all non-renewed special seats going on sale.

An additional third phase of sales will begin on the 15th of November, depending on the return of tickets from Real Madrid and Champions League sponsors.

News on tickets for B. Dortmund and Real Madrid

Sporting Clube de Portugal will begin ticket sales tomorrow for Champions League Group Stage matchday 3 and 5.

MATCHDAY 3

SPORTING CP vs BORUSSIA DORTMUND

18th of October (Tuesday) at 19h45

MATCHDAY 5

SPORTING CP vs REAL MADRID CF

22nd of November (Tuesday) at 19h45

Just 15,000 tickets are still available. Both matches are included in GAMEBOX 2016/2017 and all tickets for the visiting clubs and respective institutions have already been issued. Tickets are expected to sell out.

Children under the age of 3 are not permitted to attend the match and all fans must have a valid ticket (Gamebox 2016/2017 or ticket). The membership fee applicable for the matches in September 2016 (for Borussia Dortmund) and October 2016 (for Real Madrid CF).

Bruno César reflects on Tuesday's Champions League win

Bruno César was handed a somewhat surprising start higher up the pitch against Legia Warsaw this Tuesday, but the Brazilian all-rounder looked like a natural in support of Bas Dost in the Alvalade attack.

"It was a hard match, but it was different to what we did in Madrid. We knew we had to win, after everything we did in the Santiago Bernabéu and in the league. We scored in the first-half and managed the game after that. Our objective is to get into the next round and every game is important now. Borussia are a good team and we will have to be at our best", said the Brazilian at the final whistle.

Jorge Jesus highlights the importance of coming encounters with Dortmund

"The win gives us a chance of qualifying, knowing that we are fighting against two really strong teams. Legia lost 6-0 and didn't look like a quality side in the first match, but that isn't true", said Jorge Jesus in his post-match press conference on Tuesday night, going on to analyse the encounter in further depth: "We scored in the first-half and managed the game in the second. In the Champions League there is no point chasing another goal. We were looking to keep possession and that takes aggression out of the game, which is normal."

Asked where he watched the game from, having been sent off against Real Madrid on matchday 1, Jesus revealed: "I spoke with Raúl José during training in the week and I told him everything I had to say. It is even harder to watch the game when you aren't on the bench. We will see on Saturday after Guimarães if the lads are tired, but obviously the added responsibility of these matches takes energy as well. "

In relation to Real Madrid's and Dortmund's draw, the Sporting coach affirmed that he would have preferred to see the points go to the Spanish capital: "If you asked me I would have preferred that Real Madrid had have won, because they will almost certainly qualify. The other place will be between Borussia and Sporting CP. Our next two games will be crucial for who qualifies, but we can't put Legia out of it yet. We are closer to Real Madrid and Dortmund now and the next two matches will be important."

Playfully asked what he thought of Slimani's strike for Leicester against FC Porto, Jesus finished: "Slimani did what he is used to doing which is scoring. He has grown a lot and he will continue to grow. He likes scoring against FC Porto and he did it again. I am not happy for him for scoring against FC Porto, but because he was my player. Whoever it is against I would be happy."

Sporting CP and Legia Warsaw draw on UEFA Youth League matchday 2

Sporting might have snatched points from the jaws of defeat in Madrid on UEFA Youth League matchday 1, but it was exactly the opposite at the Sporting Academy this week, with the team from Alvalade conceding a last minute goal to Legia Warsaw.

Tiago Fernandes made three changes from matchday 1, introducing Luís Maximiano, Tiago Djaló and André Franco for Pedro Silva, Ricciulli and Miguel Luís.

The Sporting under-19's were actually under the watchful eye of Jorge Jesus, who made the trip to the Academy to see the next generation in action. Despite Sporting dominating the opening half an hour, the first real chance of the afternoon was made to wait until the 19th minute, when Pedro Marques was denied by Majecki one-on-one. The Polish keeper might have got the best of the first round, but he certainly didn’t in the second, when the Sporting forward latched onto a pass from Diogo Bragança to fire in the opener.

The goal actually saw Sporting somewhat lose their way for the rest of the half and Legia began to hold down a bit of possession. Szymanski fired a shot off the bar in the 35th minute, before Djaló brought down Szcepanski in the area that would have drawn the Polish visitors level, had Luís Maximiano not ensured otherwise in the Alvalade goal.

Legia’s pressing eventually paid off, when Ryczkowski’s shot was parried by the Sporting keeper into the path of Kulenovic for the equaliser.

Tiago Fernandes was not happy and began to ring the changes, bringing on Nuno Moreira and Elves Baldé after the break. The move proved to be a stroke of genius and it took Moreira just 17 minutes to put sporting back into the lead, netting with a superb placed effort into the top corner.

The goal lifted Sporting going into the final stages and Fernandes’s side looked to be heading for the win, before Szczepanski blasted in an unstoppable effort from the edge of the area with just seconds left on the clock.

The draw leaves Sporting in third place on two points, behind B. Dortmund and Real Madrid.

Jorge Jesus on Champions League matchday 2

Missing out in Real Madrid after such a brilliant performance was not easy for Jesus' team. However, the Sporting coach has had time to brush off the blow and prepare for Tuesday's hosting of Legia Warsaw in Alvalade.

"Legia are just as ambitious as we are and they think they can beat us. All we are thinking about is the three points. We know this will be a tough match against a really aggressive team who are quick on the break", opened the Alvalade coach in his pre-match press conference on Monday, adding a word on Polish football and Legia's loss to Dortmund on matchday 1: "The Polish league has evolved and the performances of the Polish national team is proof of that. A lot of good footballers have been produced in Poland and the match against Dortmund was not normal.

As for the Legia coach, Jacek Magiera, making his Champions League debut, Jesus had a light-hearted message of his own: "Obviously I hope that his first match doesn't go well and that he focuses more on Legia's next game in Poland."

Former Sporting striker back to commentate for Champions League encounter

It was 21 years ago that Andrzej Juskowiac last put on the green and white shirt, after 87 games and 31 goals for Sporting, from 1992 to 1995.

The Sporting legend was back in Alvalade on Monday, where he will commentate on the Champions League hosting of Legia Warsaw for Polish television.

“Legia are going through a tough time right now, they fired their coach last week. The new coach, Magiera, will have a hard time and maybe the result isn't even that important. Poland hasn't had a team in the Champions League group stage for 20 years and to come back into the competition with a 6-0 loss (against B.Dortmund) is really tough", said the former Sporting forward, adding: "We are talking about a team that not physically prepared and that will play on the defensive. If Sporting pushes the pace, Legia won't have a chance. Their most dangerous player is Nikolic, who did well in the qualification round. He didn't play in the first game, but he will tomorrow probably. Legia have a good keeper as well, Malarz."