Portugal trip fans say 'it may never come again'
It is the team's first competitive match on mainland Europe for 53 years.
Portugal trip fans say 'it may never come again'
Sunderland face Torreense in Leiria on Thursday
Thousands of Sunderland supporters are travelling to north-west Portugal for the club’s first competitive match on mainland Europe in 53 years.
Sunderland AFC will meet Portuguese second division side Torreense in the Europa League on Thursday, but because the host club’s ground is too small, the match will instead take place about 66 miles (106km) away in the city of Leiria.
To get there, Sunderland fan Matthew Keeling drove to Liverpool, flew from there to Porto, and then took a two-hour bus ride.
He said it felt "weird" to be following his team across Europe and that he did not think "anyone really knows what to expect".
Even so, Keeling said he had already booked flights for trips to Poland and Milan as part of Sunderland's European campaign.
"Hopefully we do all right and we can have a few more after Christmas and extend it," he said.
Fan John McIver said the European campaign was the "biggest thing"
John McIver said he reached Leiria by flying from Newcastle to Paris, then taking another flight to Lisbon, before hiring a car.
"It was a very long day," he said.
McIver said the European campaign was the "biggest thing".
"Nothing compares to it really - not even cup finals," he said.
"It might never come around again."