Sporting CP v Atalanta Match Preview, 05/10/2023

Match Facts

1. This will be the sixth match between Sporting CP and Atalanta in major European competition, and first since a 1-1 draw in the 1987-88 Cup Winners’ Cup quarter-final second leg, which saw the Italian side progress 3-1 on aggregate. They are Atalanta’s only ever European meetings with a Portuguese side.
2. Sporting CP have won just three of their last 29 European matches against Italian clubs (D13 L13), although are unbeaten in six such meetings on home soil (W2 D4) since losing 0-1 to Udinese in August 2005.
3. Sporting are unbeaten in their last seven UEFA Europa League home games (W4 D3), winning their last four in a row in the group stage since a 0-1 defeat to Arsenal in 2018-19.
4. Atalanta have never lost a UEFA Europa League group stage game in seven previous matches across the 2017-18 and 2023-24 editions (W5 D2); this is the most any side has played in the group round without losing a match.
5. Charles De Ketelaere attempted eight shots in Atalanta’s 2-0 win over Raków Czestochowa, the most by a player for the club in a single match in a major UEFA competition since Papu Gómez also had eight against Everton in the UEFA Europa League in November 2017. Meanwhile, Luis Muriel created seven chances against Raków Czestochowa, the most for Atalanta in major European competition since Josip Ilicic created 11 against Apollon Limassol in October 2017.