19 April 2023
Juventus return to the capital of Portugal after the visit there on Champions League duty in late October.
This time Sporting CP in the Europa League play host to the Bianconeri in Lisbon, the second oldest capital in Europe, after Athens, and the westernmost in Europe's mainland.
Let's recap the main sightseeing locations in the city, including a description of the home to Sporting, the Estádio José Alvalade.
SIGHTSEEING
Due to the rich history of the city there are plenty of sights worth visiting. There are two UNESCO world heritage sites, Belém Tower, one of the most famous and visited landmarks in Portugal, and Jerónimos Monastery, on the Tagus river near the launch point of Vasco da Gama's first journey, where in fact his tomb has been relocated, in the nave of the monastery's church close to those of King Manuel I and King John III, whom the explorer had served.
Other sights include Edoardo VII Park, found in the city centre on the Avenida da Liberdade. Once home to Portuguese nobility, it is now one of the most expensive shopping streets in Europe.
As for culture, from the Teatro Nacional de São Carlos and the Queen Maria II National Theatre for classical tastes to the more modern Belém Cultural Centre, all preferences are catered for, as they are also considering museums and galleries, from the National Museum of Ancient Art to the Berardo Collection Museum and the National Museum of Contemporary Art.
A museum dedicated to Sporting was officially opened on 31 August 2004, located at the Estádio José Alvalade, and explains the club identity and history since it was founded in 1906
THE STADIUM
The seventh stadium in Sporting's history, named as always in homage to Sporting's founder as stated in the club's statutes, was built adjacent to the site of the previous ground. After construction work got underway on 15 January 2001, the 50 thousand all-seater was inaugurated on 6 August 2003.
In May 2005, UEFA awarded the Alvalade the 5-Star ranking, the first in Portugal to receive the prestigious award. The futuristic stadium hosted five matches during Euro '04, as well as the UEFA Cup final on 18 May 2005.
The stadium is the centre of Alvalade XXI, a complex that includes a mall called Alvaláxia with a 12-screen cinema, health club, clinic, office building, sports pavilion and the club museum.
