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Estadio Dr Magalhaes Pessoa, Leiria
Thursday 15 October 2026, 17:45 UK
Sunderland’s return to continental football has been a brighter story than their Premier League form, and a trip to Leiria to face Torreense on Thursday gives Regis Le Bris’ side the chance to make it two wins from two in the Europa League’s league phase.
Torreense, promoted into Europe via last season’s domestic cup run, host this tie away from their usual Torres Vedras ground, and a positive start against Lillestrom means an upset against a toiling Sunderland would rank among the biggest results in the Portuguese club’s history.
Torreense vs Sunderland: preview and form guide
Sunderland sit 17th in the Premier League with four points from six matches, a tally that undersells how competitive several of those defeats have been but still leaves Le Bris’ men closer to the relegation zone than the European places they occupy on merit from last season.
The 2-0 home defeat to Brighton on 10 October was the Black Cats’ third consecutive Premier League loss, and a defence that has now conceded nine goals in five matches across all competitions is the clearest concern heading into this trip to Portugal.
In the Europa League itself, Le Bris’ side sit 16th after a 1-0 win over AZ Alkmaar on Matchday 1, a result built on a disciplined defensive display rather than the open, high-scoring approach that has characterised their domestic form.
Brian Brobbey’s hat-trick in the 5-3 defeat at Manchester City on 20 September remains the individual highlight of the season, making him the first player since 2007 to score three and still finish on the losing side, but that quality is unavailable here with the striker out injured and Wilson Isidor set to lead the line instead.
Torreense’s own domestic form tells a similar story of inconsistency, with the club 15th in Liga Portugal 2 on six points from seven matches after Saturday’s 1-0 defeat at Tondela.
The Europa League has offered genuine respite, Luis Tralhao’s side sitting 10th after an away win at Lillestrom on Matchday 1, a scoreline of 2-1 built on goals from Manu Pozo and Alejandro Alfaro that remain their only strikes in the competition this season.
That result was another chapter in what has been an impressive continental tale after Torreense secured a historic Europa League berth following an upset victory over Sporting Lisbon to lift the Taca de Portugal, though they remained in the Liga 2 after losing their promotion playoff to Casa Pia.
The match itself is being staged away from the club’s regular 2,341-capacity Campo Manuel Marques, with the Estadio Dr Magalhaes Pessoa in Leiria hosting a Premier League club for a fixture of genuine novelty value to the home support.
Team news: Torreense vs Sunderland lineups
Sunderland team news
Brobbey’s hamstring injury rules out Sunderland’s top scorer for this trip, and Daniel Ballard and Habib Diarra have been ruled out by the same type of issue, while Romaine Mundle continues his recovery from a long-term knee problem.
Thomas Meunier remains a doubt for the trip to Leiria after being forced off at the weekend, so it will not be a surprise if summer signing Malick Fofana features on the right side of Sunderland’s attack if the versatile Belgian is not fit.
Sunderland’s selection headaches go beyond fitness, too, since Chemsdine Talbi was left out of the club’s Europa League squad list altogether, and he is joined there by Jocelin Ta Bi, Melker Ellborg and Alan Browne.
Predicted Sunderland XI (4-2-3-1): Roefs; Mukiele, Danso, Alderete, Methalie; Xhaka, Sadiki; Fofana, Le Fee, Angulo; Isidor.
Torreense team news
Nuha Jatta’s dismissal in the win at Lillestrom leaves Torreense without a regular midfield option, though it is not the only disciplinary story in the squad: goalkeeper Adriel and defender Mohamed Ali Diadie both saw red at the weekend domestically, yet neither picked up a ban that carries into this competition.
Alfaro, who scored the team’s first-ever continental goal in that Lillestrom win, is expected to stay in a central role alongside Amine Oudrhiri and Joao Marques.
Pozo also found the net in that victory and is pushing for a recall to the lineup after remaining as an unused substitute against Tondela and could start ahead of Quintero on Thursday.
Predicted Torreense XI (4-2-3-1): Adriel; Bruno, Diadie, Volnei, Vazquez; Oudrhiri, Alfaro; Pozo, Marques, Jean; Abubakari.
Head-to-head: Torreense vs Sunderland
Thursday’s tie is a genuine first for both clubs, with no previous meeting between Sunderland and Torreense at any level, so there is no head-to-head history to draw on for either side.
Sunderland arrive with the more extensive recent experience of European away trips of this kind, having already travelled to the Netherlands for their opening Europa League fixture against AZ Alkmaar’s home ground this season.
For Torreense, hosting an English top-flight club for the first time in the club’s history adds a layer of occasion that domestic Liga Portugal 2 fixtures simply cannot match, even if the absence of any shared history removes a usual source of narrative context.
10bet TNT Sports Exclusive Bet Builder Boost
Thanks to our partners at 10bet, we can share with you a special Bet Builder Boost for Torreense vs Sunderland. This unique offer allows you to bet on a pre-created Bet Builder at boosted odds of 16/1 (was 12/1).- Yes: Sunderland to win to nil
- Wilson Ilsidor (Sunderland): Player to score anytime
- Granit Xhaka (Sunderland): Player to receive a card
Was 12/1 >>> 16/1
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Our Torreense vs Sunderland prediction and betting tips
- Likely scorer: Wilson Isidor for Sunderland (backed anytime scorer, Evens (2.00))
- Sunderland backed to win to nil at 8/5 (2.60)
- Sunderland to maintain their unbeaten start to the Europa League league phase
Adeyeye Oluwapelumi is a sports writer with more than 1,000 published articles covering football and major sporting events worldwide. His knowledge spans leagues across the globe, including the Premier League, La Liga, Serie A, Bundesliga and Ligue 1. Combining research, insight and creativity, he enjoys finding fresh angles and delivering engaging coverage of the game's biggest stories.