Sporting CP fully aware of task, but belief can topple Tottenham

Although they have never won Europe's premier trophy, their record in European competition is impressive. The very first European Cup match featured Sporting, and they scored its first goal back in 1955.

DANGER MAN: Sporting's Marcus Edwards, center, reacts after scoring the opening goal of his team during the Champions League Group D soccer match between Eintracht Frankfurt and Sporting Lisbon. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)

THERE are a number of misconceptions that irk the officials and fans of Sporting, the Lisbon giants that take on Tottenham in the Champions League tonight.

One is that the word Lisbon appears in their name. Fans and pundits routinely call them Sporting Lisbon, but as their press office proudly points out, their official title is Sporting Clube De Portugal, or Sporting CP for short. Using Lisbon in their title is as incorrect and irritating for them as it is to use Glasgow in Celtic's nomenclature.