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Reigning KNVB Cup holders Heerenveen take on Portuguese giants Sporting CP at the Abe Lenstra Stadium on Thursday as Group D gets underway in the Europa League. Watch Heerenveen vs Sporting Lisbon live streaming by using your exclusive Live Sport Network membership.

Heerenveen beat Greek side PAOK in the play-off round. Paulo Henrique’s goal allowed them to come away with a 1-1 draw from the Toumba stadium, and the return leg in Holland was drawn 0-0. The Frisian outfit thus progressed on the away goals rule.

Heerenveen suffered their third successive league defeat on Saturday as FC Groningen beat them 1-0. They are third from bottom in the Eredivisie, having picked up only four points from their first six fixtures. Even worse, they have found the back of the net just once in their last five games. The pressure is on Jan de Jonge, who recently succeeded Trond Sollied as manager, to put their season back on track.

Sporting qualified for the group stage as one of the ten losers from the Champions League play-off round. They were beaten by Italian side Fiorentina on the away goals rule. Sporting had beaten Dutch side FC Twente in the previous round.

Sporting Lisbon beat Pacos de Ferreira 1-0 on Saturday to pick up their second league win of the new season. Striker Liedson scored the winner nine minutes from time against Pacos. With players like Miguel Veloso and Joao Moutinho in their squad, Sporting will fancy their chances of qualifying from a group that also includes Hertha Berlin and Ventspils.

Paulo Bento’s side will be quietly confident of coming away at least a point from the Abe Lenstra stadium given Heerenveen’s poor recent form. Sign up today and watch SC Heerenveen vs Sporting Lisbon live online as it happens in the Europa League.