Tickets for Setúbal to go on sale on Thursday

Tickets for the Portuguese Cup encounter between Vitória Futebol Clube and Sporting Clube de Portugal will go on sale on Thursday at the Estádio José Alvalade ticket offices (open from 10h to 20h).

Kick-off is scheduled for 21h00 on Wednesday the 14th of December, in Estádio do Bonfim.

GOAL END | €7.5 (exclusively for Sporting Clube de Portugal Members) or €10

LATERAL | €18

CENTRAL | €22

Jorge Jesus announces squad for Champions League matchday 6

Jorge Jesus has announced his squad to face Legia Warsaw, on Champions League matchday six:

1 – Rui Patrício
3 – Lazar Markovic
4 – Jefferson
8 – Petrovic
10 – Bryan Ruiz
11 – Bruno César
13 – Sebastian Coates
14 – William Carvalho
15 – Paulo Oliveira
16 – André Felipe
19 – Douglas Teixeira
20 – Luc Castaignos
22 – Elias Trindade
23 – Adrien Silva
25 – Marcelo Meli
28 – Bas Dost
31 – Marvin Zeegelaar
34 – Beto Pimparel
35 – Rúben Semedo
47 – Ricardo Esgaio
73 – Matheus Pereira
77 – Gelson Martins
82 – Pedro Silva

Jorge Jesus dismisses the weather and affirms his side's readiness

Almost two hours after Legia coach Jacek Magier has backed Sporting CP as favourites to clinch the points in the Polish capital tomorrow, Jorge Jesus dismissed any sense of overconfidence and instead focused on the task at hand.

“What idea their coach has of us isn't that important to me. What matters is that we show what we are capable of. We know they will squeeze us on the pitch and from the stands, but the lads are used to it and it isn't the cold or the fans that will affect us", opened Jorge Jesus, going on to analyse the difference between the two sides: "You can say a team is favourite or not based on history. We could be considered as favourite because how how we have played in the group and we have been a bit unlucky really. We could have had more points, especially with how we played against Real Madrid and Dortmund. We wanted to get past the group stage, which we didn't, but we will push on anyway. We know that Legia are a creative side and tomorrow we will have to do again what we did against the other two teams in our group."

The Lisbon derby is just around the corner and Sporting CP are going in to the encounter tomorrow on the back of a tough hosting of Setúbal. However, Jesus affirmed his side's focus on tomorrow: "Like I said, 90% of what we are doing is about tomorrow. Obviously some of the lads might be carrying some knocks from Setúbal and we won't be taking any risks. Nothing special has happened yet, so I don't think we will have to worry about that sort of thing."

Bryan Ruiz confident in Sporting CP's chances of a place in the Europa League

"We won at home, but it wasn't easy and we had to fight hard to get the points. It will be a difficult match, but we believe we will get into the Europa League", said Bryan Ruiz in Tuesday's pre-match press conference.

The Polish capital is currently a good 20 degrees colder than Lisbon, however Ruiz dismissed the impact of the weather: "I don't think the cold will affect how we play. We are used to playing in places like this. We have played in Russia before and I don't think it makes a difference. We know how important it is for us to carry on in Europe and we know what we have to do tactically tomorrow."

Jesus leads his first training session Warsaw ahead of Champions League matchday 6

Agreement with 1.º de Agosto for Gelson and Ary Papel

Sporting Clube de Portugal - Futebol, SAD has reached an agreement with Clube Desportivo 1º de Agosto for the transfer of Jacinto Muondo Dala (Gelson) and Manuel David Afonso (Ary Papel), within the framework of the partnership between the two clubs. The two have agreed contracts valid from the 1st of January 2017 to the 30th of June 2019, with a buy-out clause of 60,000,000.00€ and an optional extension until 2022.

Sporting SAD wishes Gelson and Ary Papel the best of professional and personal success.

Mauro Riquicho makes return after long spell on the sidelines with serious injury

Sporting CP B missed out to V. Guimarães B (2-0) this week, on Ledman LigaPro matchday 17 - goals from Mama Baldé (own goal, 6') and Dénis Duarte (22').

However, the result did little to overshadow the return of defender Mauro Riquicho, who has been out of action since the 16th of September 2015. Twenty one years old at the time, Riquicho suffered a serious leg injury against Leixões and has since made a miraculous recovery.

Information from the Sporting CP medical department

Sporting Clube de Portugal's medical department has released the following clinical update:

Alan Ruiz: Flu

Joel Campbell: twisted knee

Lukas Spalvis: recovering from knee surgery

Ezequiel Schelotto: injury to the right calf muscle

Useful information for Sporting CP fans travelling for Champions League matchday 6

Sporting Clube de Portugal will be in Poland on Wednesday, for a 20h45CET Champions League matchday 6 kick-off against Legia Warsaw.

To ensure that matchday is enjoyed without incident, fans should take into consideration the following:

Temperatures are expected to be between 0ºC and -9ºC, with periods of snow and rain. We recommend that our fans remain indoors until heading for the stadium. The Polish authorities have deemed that not enough visiting fans will be attending to justify a meeting point.

The recommended mode of transport is taxi, to the following address: 4 Mysliwiecka Street, which is next to the stadium and the entrance for Sporting Clube de Portugal's fans, who will enter through Gate D1 – SOUTH Zone.

Buses for Organised Fan Groups will also travel to 4 Mysliwiecka Street. Polish police will be present before, during and after the match.

It is vital that away fans avoid the NORTH zone of the stadium, including Lazienkowska Street – where Legia Warsaw's radical groups generally gather.

We further recommend that all Sporting Clube de Portugal fans avoid wearing club scarves, shirts or other material associated to Sporting CP.

The use of pyrotechnical devices in Poland is a crime and Sporting CP will pay the upmost attention to the behaviour of our fans in this respect.

Other information:

• Gates open 2 hours before kick-off (18h45CET);
• SCP fans sectors - 221 and 222 (Upper Tier) Entrance D1;
• You must bring a form of identification with you, as it may be requested at the entrance to the stadium
• € (euros) are not accepted
• Polish currency – Zloty –  1euro = 4.46 Zloty;
• Polish time = +1 hour in relation to Lisbon.

Bruno de Carvalho unveils new Sporting Academy School in Athens

Speaking from Athens, where he is opening the doors to a new Sporting Academy School, president Bruno de Carvalho set out his plans for the rest of the current campaign.

“What matters is that we keep cool and stick together. Yesterday we had more than 43,000 people in the stadium and I think that the fans are calm with the excellent work we are doing. That is what I said when we were seven points behind, when we were five points behind and now when we are two points behind", said the Alvalade boss in the Greek capital, adding: "There are three really strong sides in the league: Sporting CP, FC Porto and Benfica. It will be tight race right until the end, but we have everything we need to bring the title home for the fans. This is a marathon, not a sprint. and it is the most consistent and intelligent team in the run in that will win it."

A crucial Champions League encounter with Legia Warsaw awaits on Wednesday, before the weekend's Lisbon derby. "Right now the coaching staff and the players are all in symphony and focused. We will have a tough game in Warsaw and then we will go to the Luz and do our job, which is bringing back three points", said Bruno de Carvalho.