Backed by team-mates and fans, Bednarek turns to Tondela | OneFootball

If, at other less happy moments this season, it was Bednarek who gave the first sign of support, understanding and encouragement, the day before yesterday, in England, and again yesterday, on the return to work on home soil, it was the Pole who received a show of solidarity from the group and the coach, along with words of encouragement and unity. Some fans waiting for the Porto delegation’s plane to arrive at Francisco Sá Carneiro Airport also expressed support for the defender.

The centre-back was sent off with a straight red card in the 8th minute of the match against Nottingham Forest, following a hard challenge on Chris Wood. After being alerted by VAR, the referee did not hesitate and left FC Porto down to 10 men for virtually the entire match, a scenario that greatly complicated the task for the Dragons against an opponent who had already benefited from a fortunate moment in the first leg, when, in the 6th minute, Martim Fernandes turned the ball into his own net. The draw (1-1) in the first leg, combined with the 1-0 defeat at the City Ground, ultimately sealed the Dragons’ exit from the Europa League in the quarter-finals.

With experience and a respected voice in the dressing room, despite not wearing the captain’s armband, Bednarek naturally felt the weight of the sending-off. He is a unifying player, one of those who, on the pitch, helps bring the team together in the most delicate moments. Over the course of his senior career, he has picked up yellow cards, a reflection of a physical style of play, but he has always known how to control that tougher side of his game. This was only the second red card of his career – the third if we count his time with Poland’s under-21s. The first as a senior, in 2021, for Southampton against Man. United (9-0), after an incident involving Anthony Martial, was later overturned by the English federation, with no disciplinary consequences. This time, the outcome will be different: the Pole will miss FC Porto’s first European fixture next season.

Even so, that will be the lesser evil. More painful was watching, powerless, Nottingham grow into the game until the decisive goal, even if Porto’s response in the second half once again showed the fighting spirit that characterises Francesco Farioli’s team – an identity that remained even without the centre-back on the pitch.

Backed by team-mates, coach and fans, Bednarek is now preparing to move on, with a clear head and focused on the next battles. The first comes as soon as tomorrow, against Tondela, a team fighting to stay up and which, despite being theoretically beatable, could pose a threat precisely because it has nothing to lose on its trip to the Dragão.

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