José Alberto Costa: Casa Pia loss can't hold FC Porto back | OneFootball

The recent defeat against Casa Pia (2-1) should not affect FC Porto in their match against Sporting in the Betclic League, according to former player José Alberto Costa, who expects the Dragons to be "galvanized" for Monday's classic.

"FC Porto must acknowledge that they are in the lead and know that if they win or draw, they will extend or maintain their advantage. They cannot, under any circumstances, enter their stadium, with the support of their fans, inhibited in any way. The defeat might encourage Sporting, but I would be very disappointed if FC Porto did not assert themselves as the main contender just because they lost the last game," emphasized the former player, who represented the 'Dragons' between 1978 and 1985, to the Lusa agency.

The league leader, FC Porto, with 55 points, will host the second-placed Sporting, with 51, on Monday at 8:45 PM, in the 21st round – this is the second encounter between the teams this season, following Porto's 2-1 victory in the first round at Estádio José Alvalade in Lisbon.

"I think the responsibility of playing in front of their fans will galvanize FC Porto's players. A victory would greatly increase their chances of becoming champions, while a win for Sporting would put the championship in turmoil. In that case, it would be the ability to handle the pressure, with only a one-point lead, that would dictate the outcome. Internally, FC Porto has not been very tested in this aspect yet," added the two-time championship winner with the club, in 1978/79 and 1984/85.

José Alberto Costa praised the improvements of the Porto team compared to last season, highlighting that the team is well-positioned in the title race and that their performance exceeds initial expectations.

"Compared to last season, FC Porto's performance has been fantastic, because no one expected, no matter how optimistic, such a radical change. At the moment, the standings reflect this, with a four-point lead in 20 rounds. There has been a transformation based on criteria for selecting players and coaches that have been fully successful. The question is whether it will remain this way until the end, as there are still many games to go," said José Alberto Costa, who, after ending his playing career, took on roles as a head coach and assistant.

Despite praising the progress under Francesco Farioli's leadership, the former winger pointed out weaknesses, especially in offensive organization against teams that retreat into a low block, and believes that Sporting should adopt a more offensive stance due to the need to secure three points.

"The indications, except for the last game, have been very positive. (…) But, in certain games, the results have been better than the performances, and I fear that this might happen again. There are situations, in terms of offensive organization, that FC Porto has had difficulties in resolving, especially against teams that play in a low block and close in tightly," he concluded, anticipating an "open game" for Monday.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇵🇹 here.