Drama till the end, Froholdt rested: likely FC Porto XI v Vitória | OneFootball

Luuk de Jong will not be available for tonight's match; Froholdt and Diogo Costa (in the goalkeeper’s case, this was already expected) are also left out, in a decision aimed at protecting the physical integrity of the engine of Porto’s midfield, the player who covers the most distance per match. Meanwhile, Ángel Alarcón, Tomás Pérez, and Karamoh are once again included in the squad options.

Deniz Gul remains doubtful up until the opening whistle, and only then will Farioli know for sure whether he can use the Turkish striker, who trained with the team yesterday, albeit still with some limitations. FC Porto’s medical department has worked overtime in recent days to try to recover the young forward and thus avoid having to start Samu again, a situation that carries risks at this demanding stage of the season. Unless the Italian coach opts for a surprise solution, such as placing Rodrigo Mora as the center forward.

What is certain is that there will be several changes to the starting lineup tonight. “We have to evaluate the whole team. In the last two games, we had players with some issues, especially with their knees, some knocks. We need to assess this before naming the eleven and making decisions, so that we can have balance and, above all, preserve the players’ integrity and physical health. And, of course, win the matches,” admitted Farioli, explaining the ongoing assessments at Olival. “We are working hard. Luuk de Jong and Deniz Gul are the two players we are trying to recover, even though it’s not easy. It’s going to be a busy afternoon for our medical department, which will do its best to get them back. I think it will be more difficult for Luuk to be in the game; with Deniz, we are trying everything possible,” he revealed, still assuring a team capable of beating Vitória. “The squad list will be announced later than usual because we are trying everything to recover the players for the match. Maybe tomorrow [today] the puzzle will be a bit more complicated than usual, but whoever takes the field will seize the opportunity and do everything to move on to the next round,” he stated.

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