Villas-Boas ready for second half: “We’re used to bias vs Porto” | OneFootball

André Villas-Boas was present this Thursday at FC Porto’s open training session at Estádio do Dragão, thanking the approximately 27,000 fans who attended on the first day of 2026 and delivering several messages about the Club’s ambition and commitment.

“I wish a Happy New Year to the entire Porto family, from the fans who were present at Estádio do Dragão today to those following us through Porto Canal. May 2026 be a year of great achievements. A year ago, we were here with the same wishes, dreams, and ambitions, and we saw how things can fall apart, which is why commitment, demand, rigor, and determination are crucial for us to achieve our goals. We know that any points gap is always short. We are in a marathon, and we have to carry our objectives through to the end. May the team continue to bring us great joy with the same focus and ambition to win the title, which is what we want most, both in football and in other sports,” he began, speaking to Porto Canal.

“I appreciate this associative commitment, which reflects the new connection FC Porto has with its fans, and we want to continue building bonds so that this unity lasts over time. We want to reach 250,000 members in the next three years. In April, we will achieve two of the objectives outlined in our strategic plan, and it’s all thanks to the trust of the fans and members. It’s a good reflection of FC Porto’s strength and the Club’s principles and values. I can only be very grateful and hope to reach this goal as quickly as possible,” the president added.

“When we are united in the same goal, we are unbeatable”

André Villas-Boas called for unity around the objectives and commented on how the club has been fighting “inequalities,” in addition to highlighting the difficulty of some upcoming challenges, with FC Porto remaining at the top of the Primeira Liga with 46 points, five more than two-time champion Sporting and ten more than Benfica.

“The strength of FC Porto is its sense of unity and commitment. When we are together and focused on the same goal, we are unbeatable. That’s what we need. For the fans to push us forward. You can feel in the air this commitment and unity between the team and the fans, and this affection is fundamental. Having almost 30,000 people in the stadium on January 1st, in the rain and cold, reinforces this sense of unity and commitment, and I hope the teams continue to meet expectations and achieve the success we desire,” emphasized the leader of the blue and whites.

“We are used to having to build our fortress against inequalities that are increasingly growing, against FC Porto, its achievements, its players, coaches… It is something that is increasingly present in media outlets that attack us daily. This fortress, this spirit of unity, and the mentality that the coach has brought to this team—and recalling that FC Porto achieved the best records in its history—reflect well the coach’s commitment to the Club, the team, and the players. We are halfway there, we have a tough January with trips to the Azores and Guimarães, a classic here for the Portuguese Cup, and we really want to dream of titles in football, so we need to keep supporting this team, respect its sense of commitment, and above all, transmit this internal energy, which is what we need to transcend ourselves and reach the title,” he stressed.

The 2010/11 Squad in Memory

Praise for the 2010/11 squad was compared to that of the current season: in that season, André Villas-Boas was the coach of the Dragons, after receiving a vote of confidence from Pinto da Costa, the former president who in April 2024 was replaced by AVB.

“Going back to the 2010/11 season, there is a slight comparison here. We had a highly talented team with players who were outstanding, and we had a very strong internal message and a motivational spirit that grew with each game—a lot that we can compare with that season, a team that never gives up and that transmits positive energy and has a drive and dedication rarely seen. We find this parallel, but we have to fight until the end. With each game, a stronger motivational message is conveyed in the sense of winning and moving step by step towards the final goal. That is the most important thing. We once again have a goalkeeper as captain, as in 2010/11, and it is this message of internal strength that we must transmit until the end,” he recalled.

“What unites us as Porto fans is this feeling for the club, transcendence, loving these values that unite us, and a respect that binds us together. We are a family in Italian, in Portuguese, and in good Porto style, and it is with this spirit that we must remain until the end,” he concluded.

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