Rosario, Gomes, Thiago Silva and Fofana fresh for Forest decider | OneFootball

With the league temporarily out of the picture, FC Porto now turn their attention back to Europe to take on Nottingham Forest at the City Ground, in a match that will decide who reaches the Europa League semi-finals. The weight of the tie, after the 1-1 draw at the Dragão, should not alter Farioli’s game plan, as he has been relying on heavy rotation between domestic and international commitments.

In that context, there are players whose presence is practically guaranteed, either because of their physical freshness after being absent or playing only a few minutes in Estoril, or because they have been key figures in the blue-and-whites’ European campaign. Pablo Rosario and William Gomes are FC Porto’s standout faces in Europe, with the former leading all outfield players in minutes played in the competition (922) and the latter being the top scorer, with four goals, including the one that earned the draw in the recent match against Nottingham Forest at the Dragão. Added to them are two more January signings who quickly became indispensable to Farioli once they became available for European competition. We are talking about Thiago Silva and Fofana, a duo that started all three knockout-stage matches and has made a positive impact on the team.

What these four players have in common is that they were spared the wear and tear of the match against Estoril, with Fofana the only one to get minutes, and only eight at that. Thiago Silva and Pablo Rosario did not even leave the bench, while William Gomes was unavailable through suspension. They therefore arrive with fresh legs for the push toward the semi-finals.

Rodrigo Mora has also been a standout figure in the European run and, like the four names mentioned, has found more space in international matches. He was not used in the first leg because he was not yet fully fit physically, but he showed good signs in Estoril and is still waiting for an opportunity at the City Ground.

Martim injury affects rotation

After a day off following the win in Estoril, Farioli’s squad returned to training yesterday morning at Olival. The start of preparations for the match against Nottingham Forest did not include Martim Fernandes on the pitch, with the player still undergoing treatment and doing gym work. This situation is likely to rule out any chance of him recovering in time for the trip to the City Ground, which could limit the rotation policy envisioned by the Italian coach. Alberto Costa played every minute in Estoril but, with no alternative available, risks having to shoulder the load again, although Pablo Rosario could be dropped back into that position. However, that would mean increasing the burden on Alan Varela…

The management implemented by Farioli has been strict and covers virtually the entire squad, but there are exceptions that prove the rule. Diogo Costa and Bednarek are the players with the most minutes accumulated throughout the season and, in the last seven matches — a period in which rotation has become more pronounced — both have always started. Then there is also Zaidu, who spent much of the season out of the Italian coach’s plans, but has gained prominence in recent weeks and has also been in the starting eleven in Porto’s last seven games.

A trio that, as has been the case, should once again start Thursday’s match. Diogo Costa has his place practically guaranteed, Bednarek adds a lot through his leadership on the pitch, and Zaidu is one of the fittest players in the squad.

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