Nico played his first minutes in official competition with Porto last Monday, in a match in which he came on in the second half and helped his team win. The ex-Barça player left 8.5 million in Barca’s coffers, a midfielder who hasn’t been included in Xavi Hernández’s plans for this season.
The Spanish newcomer already knows what it means to play in the Portuguese top flight. In the 70th minute, he entered the field to replace Baró, who went off injured and was able to handle the ball with ease in the few touches he made. His compatriot Fran Navarro was left out of the squad.
The Spaniard Toni Martínez was crucial for the hard-fought victory of Porto at Moreirense (1-2), by scoring the goal that allowed his side to start the comeback and avoid a setback on the opening day of the Portuguese league.
Recently promoted Moreirense were tougher than expected and even put Porto in a tight spot, but second-half goals from Toni Martínez and Brazil’s Wendell secured the three points for the Blue and Whites.
Nico is already hoping to earn his stripes as the season progresses, like he did in Valencia last year.