The two sides will meet in a two-legged playoff

Sporting Clube de Portugal will face BV Borussia 09 Dortmund in the UEFA Champions League playoff, for a place in the Round of 16.

The pairing was made in the draw held in Nyon, Switzerland, and is a rerun of a meeting from 2021.

Sporting CP, who qualified in 23rd place, will compete for a place with the German side who finished the league phase in 10th place. In domestic competition, BV Borussia 09 Dortmund are currently 11th in the Bundesliga.

The first game is scheduled for February 11th/12th, at the Estádio José Alvalade. The second return leg takes place a week later at Signal Iduna Park.

Played over two matches, the playoff represents a novelty in the format of the most renowned European club competition, which has been revamped for the 2024/25 season. If they get past this stage, Sporting CP will face either LOSC Lille or Aston Villa FC in the Round of 16.

PLAYOFF CALENDAR FOR UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE ROUND OF 16 ENTRY:
First leg: February 11/12, 2025 (Estádio José Alvalade).
Second leg: 18/19 February 2025 (Signal Iduna Park).

The coach speaks after the draw with Bologna FC 1909

Rui Borges reacted to Sporting Clube de Portugal's 1-1 draw with Bologna FC 1909, which took his side into the playoff for the Round of 16 in the UEFA Champions League.

"Above all, for the club it means a lot, due to what the UEFA Champions League represents -even more so in the first year with this format. I'm happy for the collective objective achieved, but that's all. Now it's time to focus on Liga Portugal and the next game," he told the media after the match with the italians.

"It was a difficult game, but we already knew that it would be. We knew it would be a game of duels, intensity and mobility. The fear for us was about the physical side, and we had to have tactical nous too. The strategy was to have Simões and Quenda on for the second half, regardless of the scoreline, and it ended up working. We were not very proactive in the first half and we talked about it at halftime; we felt more dynamic and we managed to equalise," he said.

"We could have finished chances better, but we weren't able to. Bologna FC 1909 were happy off a set piece, but that wasn't the tone of the game."

Regarding the injury problems within the squad, Borges admitted that there are "many players who are not 100%.

"Today we did it our way. I'm happy with what the team gave. It's been difficult to manage because we need everyone to be fit, but we have to be prepared. I'm very positive, I take whoever is available and they will do well in response," he continued.

"The accumulation of games doesn't worry me, but of course we would have liked to have more time to train and improve. However, when I came to Sporting CP I already knew that I wouldn't have that, because we are in the UEFA Champions League. The players have been fantastic and they have given a superb response. I am lucky to have very intelligent players, who are trying to do some things even without training as much as we would like," he added.

Reinforcing that the focus "has to be on SC Farense, a team in need of points and that will make life difficult for Sporting CP with a medium-low block" on Sunday, Rui Borges also spoke about João Simões, who came on in the second half and assisted for Conrad Harder's goal.

"He has above-average maturity. He will have a bright future. He has a passion that is needed within a collective, like Pedro Gonçalves and Nuno Santos. These players are necessary and, in a different way, João Simões also has that passion. At 18 years old, he is a leader and is very communicative, attentive and hardworking."

The team draw 1-1 with Bologna FC 1909

A 1-1 draw for Sporting Clube de Portugal with Bologna FC 1909 was enough to take them through to the playoff round of the UEFA Champions League. Conrad Harder scored a 71st minute equaliser to take the required point on the league phase's final matchday.

The game was played amidst torrential rain and cold temperatures in the Lisbon area, especially before the teams went out to warm up. Rui Borges made four changes to his starting XI: Rui Silva, Hidemasa Morita, Geovany Quenda and Viktor Gyökeres were rotated out, with Franco Israel, Zeno Debast, Geny Catamo and Conrad Harder taking their places. On the bench were young players Afonso Moreira, Mauro Couto, Rafael Nel, Alexandre Brito and Eduardo Felicíssimo, the latter two seeking their first team debuts.

Bologna came very close to opening the scoring after just four minutes, when Sam Beukema headed the ball against the crossbar off a corner. The initial pace, however, was somewhat slow, with Sporting CP only threatening for the first time when Francisco Trincão passed to Harder. After taking an opponent out of the equation, he unleashed a shot that was saved by Federico Ravaglia.

Another hit from the Dane followed, from distance that went wide. Bologna managed to make it 0-1 in the 21st minute: From another corner from the right, a header from Beukema deflected in off Tommaso Pobega.

Sporting CP reacted with a free kick, from which Debast narrowly missing the target. On 40 minutes, he found Harder with a through ball, resulting in a shot that was again saved by Ravaglia. Geny Catamo also picked out Maxi Araújo and he, up against the opposition goalkeeper, did not get the best possible shot away. The Uruguayan tried to follow up with a backheel, but to no avail.

Just before halftime, the highlight was a great chance for Morten Hjulmand with a header, but referee Benoît Bastien blew for an offensive foul.

A new obstacle emerged in the early stages of the second half, when Debast picked up an injury and was replaced by João Simões.

Bologna FC 1909 attacked through Dan Ndoye, who missed the target, whilst Catamo had another effort denied by Ravaglia. Soon after, at the other end, Franco Israel denied Pobega with a great save.

Iván Fresneda's powerful shot distance was met by Ravaglia later on, as Sporting CP continued to search for an equaliser. A header from Hjulmand sent the ball into the hands of Ravaglia in the 73rd minute and Pobega hit the side netting shortly afterwards.

Finally, in the 77th minute, Sporting CP levelled with a very well-worked move: Geovany Quenda picked out João Simões and he fed a pass to Conrad Harder, who got ahead of a defender and the goalkeeper to make the crucial touch and take the score to 1-1.

Off a very dangerous counterattack, the visitors could have scored again immediately afterwards, but Dan Ndoye shot wide.

The game dipped off and Sporting CP safely made their way into 23rd position in the league phase. The draw for the playoff for the Round of 16 is scheduled for 11am on Friday in Nyon, Switzerland. Rui Borges' team will meet either Atalanta BC or Borussia Dortmund.

Sporting CP are back in action at 6pm on Sunday, hosting SC Farense at Estádio José Alvalade in Liga Portugal.

Sporting CP: Franco Israel [GK], Iván Fresneda, Ousmane Diomande, Gonçalo Inácio, Maxi Araújo, Zeno Debast (João Simões, 50'), Morten Hjulmand, Geny Catamo, Francisco Trincão (Matheus Reis, 87'), Daniel Bragança (Geovany Quenda, 61') and Conrad Harder.