Madrid international relations director Emilio Butragueño on the relationship between the two clubs

Speaking with the press following an institutional lunch between Sporting CP and Real Madrid this Tuesday, The Spanish giants' head of international relations, Emilio Butragueño, reflected on the blossoming relationship being crafted between the teams from the two Iberian capitals.

"The relationship between Sporting CP and Real Madrid is fantastic. We are delighted to be here and Sporting CP are great hosts. These matches are a great chance to really strengthen the relationships between clubs and here are two big names who have to work together for the sake of football", said Butragueño, adding a word on the first-leg in Madrid: "Sporting CP played really well and put us under pressure. We had a bit of luck at the end, which you need on occasions like that. Of course the individual quality of some of our players helped a low as well. We are expecting something similar today, against a team that has to get something from the game."

Questions about CR7 were inevitable and the Madrid representative was happy to oblige: "Cristiano means a lot to us. He started here and he is really thankful to Sporting CP. He is always showing that. For him this will be a special night, but he is a great professional and I hope that makes the difference for us."

Rui Patrício preparing to face off against the world's best

Still beaming after celebrating 10 years defending the Alvalade goal, Rui Patrício was the player chosen to accompany Jorge Jesus in the press room, ahead of Tuesday's hosting of Real Madrid.

"We want the final result to be different to what happened in the Santiago Bernabéu. We showed what we can do in Madrid and we are capable of doing it again tomorrow, but all we want is the win", said the Sporting CP shotstopper, going on to talk about the prospect of facing Cristiano Ronaldo: "He is the complete athlete. There is nothing I can say against him. We can score a million ways and we will have to focus a lot of him. Every single one of us will have to do our best and we will do everything we can to get the win."

Jorge Jesus welcomes the challenge of a visit from the European champions

"We feel confident as well and I say that knowing we will be taking on the best team in the world. We believe in ourselves and since the draw we have been dreaming of qualifying for the next round", opened Jorge Jesus in his Champions League pre-match press conference this Monday afternoon.

Although the Alvalade boss is refusing to throw in the towel, with nothing else but a win capable of keeping qualification hopes alive, he does recognise that the odds are stacked against his team: "It has been getting harder, but we are still dreaming. Our intention tomorrow will be to play as well as we did in Madrid, but of course it will be hard. Madrid know a lot more about our team now. Playing in front of our fans will give us that extra bit of passion, but for Real Madrid it doesn't mean much and that is why they are the best. Everyone knows where they are at their best, they have the World Player of the Year and best goalscorer."

Tomorrow also promises to be the stage or a battle between Cristiano Gelson. For Jorge Jesus, this is the perfect opportunity for the Alvalade starlet to show what he can do against the world's best: "He (Ronaldo) is really strong right now in terms of goals. His talent is all down to how professional he is and the passion he shows for the game. When he finishes his contract with Real Madrid he will be 37 or 38. It would be great if he came back home with the same passion, but for now all we an do is imagine it. Gelson will have a shot in the Champions League to show what he can do. The game will be broadcast around the world and the lad will have his chance. Everyone in Portugal already knows who he is and the rest of the world will as well, similar to what happened with Figo. Of course him and Figo are different, but that doesn't mean they can't follow the same path."

Squad out on the Sporting Academy training pitch before facing European champions

Just over 24 hours before hosting Real Madrid in Alvalade, Jorge Jesus had his squad out on the training pitch for a session that president Bruno de Carvalho also took part in. A total of 27 players were available, with only Spalvis out through injury.

Jorge Jesus will be as near as he ever will be to full strength tomorrow when his side takes on the Galácticos, with only a win enough for his side to continue dreaming of a place in the Champions League knock-out stages. 

Alvalade and Dortmund mascots backing fair-play

Jubas, the Sporting Clube de Portugal mascot, and Emma, his Borussia Dortmund equivalent, haven taken it on themselves to back the spirit of fair-play.

On the 1st of November Sporting CP travelled to Germany to face Borussia Dortmund and it was the perfect occasion for the two mascots to meet. Jubas of course made the most of the chance to visit the city, guided by Emma.

Emma thanked Jubas for his visit by giving him an official Borussia Dormund shirt.

Sales to begin on Monday the 14th of November

Sporting Clube de Portugal will begin ticket sales on Monday the 14th of November as follows:

SC PRAIENSE | PORTUGUESE CUP

Portuguese Cup round 4 will be played at 20h15 on Thursday the 17th of November, with tickets starting at 5€ for Club Members and 8€ for fans. As this is a Portuguese Cup match, ticket revenue is divided between the clubs and the Portuguese Football Federation. Gamebox holders can purchase tickets for 4€ for Stand A of Estádio José Alvalade – Stand B will be closed.

LEGIA WARSAW | CHMAPIONS LEAGUE

Sales exclusively for Sporting Clube de Portugal Club Members (with October 2016 fees paid). Tickets cost 30€ for what is the last match of the Champions League group stage, to be played on the 7th of December in Warsaw.

Additional information will be issued on Tuesday the 15th of November in relation to ticket sales for Champions League matchday 5 against Real Madrid CF.

Surprising line-up deserved more in Signal Iduna Park

Although fielding five in defence, Sporting CP certainly didn't sit on the back foot in Signal Iduna Park, in a quest to guarantee Champions League continuity against Borussia Dortmund. It was a very much surprising starting eleven from Jorge Jesus, with Paulo Oliveira slotting in along side the usual pairing of Coates and Rúben Semedo, while Castaignos came in for Bas Dost. The final result was far from the objective, but Sporting CP did put in a battling performance that deserved better.

With Jesus and Tuchel both having mixed it up for the Champions League showdown, the game started with a chance in both 18-yard boxes and it was the first first effort on goal that dictated the final result. Ginter managed to find a yard of space down the right and float a ball in for Adrian Ramos, who got the jump on Paulo Oliveira and headed past Rui Patrício in the 12th minute. Sporting CP responded down the other end of the mark and Gelson Martins broke through on goal after a superb spell of passing play, but the Alvalade youngster was unable to get the better of Burki.

The dying stages essentially saw Sporting CP finish with 10 men, as Schelotto struggled on. Bryan Ruiz had a chance to level with a header late on, but his shot was off target. Legia Warsaw's surprise draw with Real Madrid does leave a narrow window for Jorge Jesus's side to still quality for the next round, but the maths is stacked against Sporting CP going into the last two matches of the group stage.

Adrien on his return to action and Bryan Ruiz on Wednesday's loss in Dortmund

Adrien Silva made his long awaited return from injury this Wednesday, in Sporting's narrow defeat in Dortmund.

"It is always hard to come back after a few weeks out, but I am happy to be back with the lads. No player can decide a result on their own, this only works as part of a team and that is what we will carry on doing", said Adrien at the final whistle.

Also speaking with the press was Bryan Ruiz. "We did everything we could. We had a good came against a good team and all we were missing was a goal. We had chances and possession, but couldn't get the goal."

Jorge Jesus reflects on his tactical shake up in Dortmund

Despite Sporting CP narrowly missing out to Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday night, coach Jorge Jesus gave credit to his players for pulling off a surprise with a formation rarely seen by the team from Alvalade.

"You could see our plan as the game went on. We played really well against Dortmund, against a really good team, and we created a few chances. The strategy we put together worked. We knew we would have a good game and that the ball would do a lot of the work for us. In the first-half Gelson had two chances on goal, but when you don't score against a team of this quality you run the risk of losing. That is what happened and honestly it was a shame. We deserved at least a point and we believed we could do it, despite the quality of our group", said Jesus at the final whistle.

Castaignos shares his Budesliga experiences ahead of Borussia Dortmund showdown

Luc Castaignos, who last year was playing in the Budesliga, was the player picked to accompany Jorge Jesus for Tuesday's pre-match press conference, ahead of Wednesday's showdown with Borussia Dortmund.

"The team is feeling confident right now. We fought hard in our first game against Dortmund and we have come here to get a result. Honestly, we feel good about tomorrow. I played in Germany last year, including against Dortmund, and I think we will have to be at our best tomorrow. That is the only way we can get something our of this", said Castaignos, adding a word on Adrien's pending return to action after injury, as well as his experience so far in the Portuguese capital: "Everyone at the club loves him (Adrien) and we are happy to have him back. He brings a lot of experience to a young team...I have to keep working in training and I am confident that the coach will give me some playing time in the future."