Who’s your pick for FC Porto’s No 6: Alan Varela or Pablo Rosario? | OneFootball

FC Porto secured another victory in the Europa League by defeating Malmö 2-1 at Estádio do Dragão. Initially, it was considered that the Swedish team would be the most accessible opponent for the Dragons, due to their poor results last season, recent coaching changes, and lack of competition in the previous two weeks. However, Malmö's defensive organization countered this perception until the two goals from the blue and whites.

For this match, Francesco Farioli chose to field Pablo Rosario as the number 6, instead of Alan Varela, who had played the full 90 minutes against Tondela. The Dominican midfielder performed well, covering the field in both ball circulation and defensive tasks.

Without possession, Malmö presented themselves in a 4-3-3 formation that sometimes shifted to 4-4-2, with wingers Adrian Skogmar or Sead Haksabanovic joining Salifou Soumah to hinder the ball exit of FC Porto's center-backs and the influence of Pablo Rosario. Anticipating the usual high pressure from Porto, the opponent matched the intensity in the first 30 minutes and created some scares in Porto's area, recovering balls in dangerous zones. In the initial phase, the Swedes placed five players to limit Porto's build-up. Nevertheless, except for a riskier pass from Jakub Kiwior, Pablo Rosario responded well to the pressure, always offering a safe option.

As has been common against FC Porto, opponents tend to close the central corridor – something already seen, for example, against César Peixoto's Gil Vicente in the 2nd round of the Primeira Liga – and Malmö did not deviate from this pattern. The difference from previous encounters, however, lay in the calmness with which Pablo Rosario received the ball and the clarity of his decisions. On several occasions, he faced pressure triangles (2+1 or 1+2) without losing composure. More than in other games, FC Porto, especially through Jan Bednarek or Jakub Kiwior – the main initiators of Porto's play and responsible for choosing the moment to attack – risked vertical passes that found in Pablo Rosario an element capable of resisting, turning, linking, and accelerating the offensive maneuver.

From this base, the midfielder distributed lateral passes to Francisco Moura or Alberto Costa, who offered short supports due to the interior advances of the full-backs in Francesco Farioli's idea. He combined well with Rodrigo Mora, also performing well, initiated the incursions of Samu and Victor Froholdt, and served the wingers Borja Sainz and Pepê with measured passes.

Compared to Alan Varela, Pablo Rosario shows greater security in receiving with his back to goal and managing opponent pressure. If we analyze Alan Varela's appearances as a 6 this season, we realize that when teams started to close the central corridor more and condition his movements, the Argentine midfielder lost influence. It seems that, deliberately, the Dragons' coach sought to spare Varela from these situations, avoiding placing him so often in such positions. Last season, with Martín Anselmi, we saw Alan Varela more uncomfortable in these circumstances; Francesco Farioli has managed this aspect with more sensitivity. For example, in the match against Tondela, Varela moved more frequently to the right, receiving the game facing forward and avoiding excessive exposure to pressure. It's a subtle tactical nuance, but it expands FC Porto's ball exit solutions and increases the player's confidence with possession.

Overall, there is a greater predisposition of FC Porto players to pass through Pablo Rosario because they trust his ability to link the game and face pressure compared to Alan Varela. In compensation, without the ball, Alan Varela continues to offer important advantages: he is lighter and more efficient in defensive transitions. The Dominican midfielder, in turn, is physically heavier and reacts more slowly in these situations, although he demonstrated good anticipation and recovery ability against Malmö. Additionally, the Argentine midfielder better understands when to drop between the center-backs to form the usual five-man line of Francesco Farioli when Porto drops back, or when to quickly occupy the number 6 position.

Another point in favor of Pablo Rosario is his versatility. Having previously worked with the Italian coach at Nice and knowing his demands well, he adapts easily to different roles. This season he has already played as a center-back, central midfielder, defensive midfielder, and even as a full-back, as in the victory against Rio Ave.

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