Sporting beat Lens to extend French clubs’ struggles against Portuguese sides

RC Lens lost 2-0 at home to Sporting on Tuesday in the second round of the Champions League. Lens produced a strong display and had the better of the play, but could not avoid defeat. The frustrating result comes amid a difficult run for French clubs against Portuguese opposition since the European competition’s format was revamped.

The record is particularly poor against Lisbon’s two clubs: French teams have suffered six defeats and drawn once against Benfica and Sporting, both of whom remain unbeaten against representatives of the French league since that format change. Paris’s recent two titles offer some consolation, but Ligue 1 sides have struggled in these matchups. At Bollaert, Lens joined Lille, Monaco, OM and PSG among the French teams beaten.

Sporting had already impressed against Lille in the first round of the league phase, a little over two years ago. On that occasion, Viktor Gyökeres punished Lille. A year later, OM lost 2-1 in Lisbon in the Champions League in a match overshadowed by Emerson’s dismissal. More recently, in January 2026, a brace helped Sporting win a match that proved decisive in the race for the top eight.

In Lens, Luis Suarez beat Robin Risser to open the scoring and set Sporting on its way to victory. The Portuguese club thus continued its impressive run against French sides.