S.C.U Torreense's league fixtures this season include meetings with the 'B' teams of Sporting, Benfica and Porto.

But the Portuguese second division club, located 35 miles north of Lisbon, are in this season's Europa League after stunning giants Sporting to win the Taca de Portugal in May.

"This is a landmark moment," Andre Sabino, the club's director of football and CEO tells BBC Sport.

Torreense have never played a European home match before but will end that run on Thursday when they host Sunderland (17:45 BST).

Second-tier Beira-Mar played in the 1999-2000 Uefa Cup, although they were a top-flight team at the time of qualifying. But Torreense are the first team from the second division to qualify by winning the Taca de Portugal.

"The Portuguese Cup has been played since 1938 in its current model and it was the first time that a second division team won it," Portuguese football journalist and ex-Benfica goalkeeper Jose Delgado tells BBC Sport.

After beating Lillestrom in their opening league phase fixture, they have already exceeded the expectations of some.

"I thought that Torreense could go through the Europa League with no points," adds Delgado. "The truth is that they already have three points and that is something.

"It's something that I don't think will ever happen again in Portuguese football. But Torreense has this."

With Portugal ranked outside Uefa's top five leagues, every club in the Champions League, Europa League or Conference League has a responsibility to perform well to earn their nation important ranking points.

As their 2,431-capacity home at Estadio Manuel Marques does not pass Uefa's stadium criteria, they will instead face Sunderland almost 47 miles away at the Municipal Stadium in Leiria.

"Obviously, it is not ideal," Sabino explains. "Playing at home should mean playing in your own stadium, in front of your own supporters and in the environment that represents your club."