The final whistle had blown, but for FC Porto coach Francesco Farioli, the work was far from over. His team had just put in a strong performance against Casa Pia. While "happy" with the display, the Italian boss made it clear there’s still plenty to improve. He faced questions about his second-half substitutions, especially if they were made with the upcoming "clássico" against Sporting in mind. Farioli quickly set the record straight on his choices.
Farioli beamed when talking about the initial approach to the match. He called it "fantastic," noting the good intensity and the right patience to create scoring chances. However, he also pointed out a dip in the second half. "We lost our structure," he admitted, "and didn’t create as much with the ball as we should have." Still, he saw the final score as a crucial win.
His most talked-about decisions involved pulling players who had received yellow cards. When asked if he was thinking of the big game against Sporting next weekend, Farioli’s answer was direct. "I was thinking about finishing the game with 11 players," he stated. Three important players had been cautioned when the team was up 3-0. He felt he had to act. His priority was to "protect the players" because some fouls could have led to more serious consequences.
Player Updates and Future Focus
The coach also gave an update on Francisco Moura. Moura played 45 minutes during the week with the B-team and performed well. Farioli sees him as an "important player" who needs to regain full fitness. He stressed that having all players recovered is key for the team’s ambitions.
There was also a concern for Pêpe, who took a ball to the eye. This was an "unfortunate" incident, and Pêpe will need to be checked by medical staff. On a brighter note, Farioli praised William’s "fantastic" performance, highlighting his energy and speed. Regarding Pêpe’s availability for the Sporting match, the coach was cautious. "We have to see," he said, "it’s a recent injury."
Looking ahead to the upcoming "clássico," some suggested that Porto’s recent victories seemed too easy. Farioli offered a different view on this idea. "The games were not that easy," he argued. He believes his players made them look easy due to an "incredible mindset." He insisted that the team must keep working hard. There are still "many things" they need to improve. With six days to get ready, the focus now turns fully to preparing for the next challenge.