As time went by, major teams successively began their preseason training camps.
Some even announced their warm-up matches, friendly matches, and other follow-up plans.
This year, Sporting Lisbon has three friendly matches.
Friendly matches are quite a science.
Opponents can't all be weak, as that won't test new players or new formations.
But the opponents also can't all be strong, as consecutive losses might dampen the players' enthusiasm at the start of the season, or even bring bad omens.
Sporting Lisbon's arrangements this year seem quite reasonable; their third friendly match is against the French league team Nice.
This summer, Sporting Lisbon took Evra from Nice.
The transfer fee of two million euros made Nice very satisfied, so when Sporting Lisbon approached them for a friendly match later, they didn't hesitate for a second.
