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Viking of Norway or Aberdeen of Scotland will be Sporting’s rivals in the third qualifying round of the Europa League. The game will take place on September 24 in Alvalade, one-handed and behind closed doors.
In the event of a victory, Rúben Amorim’s team will advance to the playoffs to enter the group stage of the second UEFA competition.
Rio Ave, on the other hand, if they pass the 2nd qualifying round against the Bosnians of Borac Banja Luka, they will have a difficult task: a trip to Istanbul to play for Besiktas.
A possible reunion
If Viking beat Aberdeen in the second qualifying round, it will be a reunion with a team that remained in Sporting history for the worst reasons.
In 1999/2000, still in the UEFA Cup, these unknown Norwegians humiliated the lions 3-0 in the first round of the competition, in the Norwegian match, a result that would be decisive for Giuseppe Materazzi’s removal from the bench of Sporting.
Fifteen days later, in Alvalade, and with Augusto Inácio already in command, the lions won 1-0, a result insufficient to avoid elimination.
Still, the season would end in glory for Sporting, national champions that same season, 18 years after the last title.
Against Aberdeen there is no record of any official match.
