After a much-needed day off, the Porto squad was back on the pitch this Monday. They returned to their Olival training ground. The team is now getting ready for a big Europa League game on Thursday. They will face Salzburg in Austria at 8 PM, marking the first round of the competition.
Coach Francesco Farioli is facing a familiar headache as five players are sidelined. All of these absences are due to injuries. The good news is that Martim Fernandes and Alan Varela might just make it back. Fernandes has been doing specialized training, and Varela is deep into his therapy and gym work. They are the only two with a chance to be fit for the Salzburg match.
However, three other names are definitely out of the picture. Nehuén Pérez is still recovering from surgery, while Alberto Costa is undergoing specific training to get back to full fitness. Luuk de Jong is also receiving treatment, meaning he won’t be available. On top of the injury list, Stephen Eustáquio won’t be playing either. He received a red card in his last Europa League game against Roma in last year’s competition, earning him a suspension.
The squad will be back at Olival for another training session tomorrow morning. Coach Farioli will surely be hoping for good news on the recovery front as the crucial Europa League opener draws near.