Rasmus Hojlund described his evening as “a night you dream of” after striking twice to guide Napoli to their maiden Champions League success of the campaign against Sporting.
The Danish forward, currently on a season-long loan from Manchester United, produced goals in either half, the second proving decisive in the 79th minute. Both efforts were created by Kevin de Bruyne, who showed his class on the European stage once more.
Napoli had opened their group stage with a 2-0 defeat at Manchester City, but this victory allowed them to recover momentum early in the tournament.
De Bruyne’s crucial influence
Colombian attacker Luis Suarez briefly brought Sporting level from the penalty spot following Matteo Politano’s foul on Maximiliano Araujo, but Hojlund later rose to meet a De Bruyne delivery for the winning header.
The Belgian midfielder, who lifted the trophy with Manchester City in 2023, ended his own sequence of eight Champions League games without contributing a goal or assist. He also entered elite company by becoming only the sixth player to supply two assists in a single match on five or more occasions.
Speaking after the match, De Bruyne praised his teammate’s instincts: “As a striker you need that feeling for goals – it’s important for him and for us.”
Striker’s record and adaptation
Hojlund moved to Naples on deadline day in early September after being left out of United’s opening four fixtures of the 2025-26 season. The deal includes a potential £38m obligation to buy, dependent on conditions such as Champions League qualification.
During his time at Old Trafford, the 22-year-old scored five goals in the competition, although all came in defeats. He netted against Bayern Munich and delivered doubles against Galatasaray and Copenhagen.
Since joining Napoli, Hojlund has now registered three goals in five appearances, already surpassing his entire Premier League tally of four from the previous campaign with United.
Forward’s celebration and outlook
After sealing his brace, Hojlund celebrated by touching both the Napoli crest and the Champions League emblem, a gesture he explained by saying: “I’m happy to play here and I love to score in Europe.”
He also highlighted the influence of his new teammate: “Playing with an exceptional talent like Kevin de Bruyne is special. I just need to make the runs and he’ll find me.”
Sporting, who had opened their campaign with a 4-1 victory against Kairat, now share the same record as Napoli with one win and one loss from two matches.
