French clubs struggle against Portugal, Lens loses in Champions League

The decisive moment of the match was Luis Suarez's goal, which beat Robin Risser to open the scoring for Sporting, before Issa Doumbia doubled the lead, sealing RC Lens's home defeat on Tuesday in the second matchday of the Champions League.

A setback that fits into an unfavorable trend

Like the Blood and Gold, the Lens side have not managed to impose their game against Portuguese teams since the revamp of the European format. No Ligue 1 club has yet beaten a Portuguese representative in the group stage, French teams accumulating one draw and six defeats against Benfica and Sporting.

This frustration adds to the setbacks suffered by Lille, Monaco, OM and PSG, who have all joined the list of French teams beaten by Lisbon clubs. Monaco, for example, has not won any of the three encounters against Benfica in the 2024‑2025 season.

History of the matchups and UEFA stakes

Sporting had already shone against Lille on the first matchday of the league phase a little over two years ago, thanks to Viktor Gyökeres. A year later, OM lost in Lisbon (2‑1) in a duel marked by Emerson's dismissal.

Lens chase third straight win over Sporting in Champions League

In January 2026, Luis Suarez had contributed to Sporting's victory over Paris Saint‑Germain, a brace that was decisive in the race for the UEFA top‑8.

Lens's setback, despite the passion of the supporters at the Bollaert stadium and the backing of Florian Thauvin's partners, highlights the lack of experience of French clubs against clinical Lisbon sides.

Sima's absence highlights Lens's 23-man squad list for Sporting

The overall picture shows that French clubs struggle to compete with their Portuguese counterparts, a problem that could affect the race for the UEFA coefficient and the perception of Ligue 1 on the European stage.