Ex-coach urges Farioli: bring Francisco Moura back to starting XI | OneFootball

Rui Santos, former coach and coordinator of the left-back trained at Sp. Braga, believes that Francisco Moura will know how to overcome the difficult moment experienced in the Clássico against Sporting and once again prove himself capable of representing FC Porto.

Moura was at the center of the play that allowed Sporting to equalize at Estádio do Dragão, by conceding a penalty already in stoppage time, which was converted by Luis Suárez (on the rebound, after a save by Diogo Costa). The former coach assures, however, that the 26-year-old player has the necessary tools to react and even challenges Francesco Farioli to restore him to the starting lineup for the away match against Nacional, scheduled for Sunday.

“Francisco is an athlete – and a kid, because I worked with him when he was 16 or 17 years old – and he is a champion, because he never turns his back on a fight. He is intelligent and will absolutely overcome this rough patch. Only those who are not out there don’t make mistakes. True champions are those who fall and get up as many times as necessary,” begins Rui Santos, currently in charge of Al Ahli’s under-21 team, in statements to the Portal dos Dragões website.

Drastic measure on social media

Francisco Moura was visibly downcast when Luís Godinho blew the final whistle of the Clássico and was quickly consoled by his teammates. FC Porto fans, however, reacted less compassionately, flooding his social media with negative comments, which led the player to disable that feature.

Rui Santos emphasizes that this virtual exposure is a recurring phenomenon in football and that, at times, it is necessary to step away from the digital world to be able to respond better on the pitch.

“Many times, players, and even coaches, have to detach themselves from social media, because it can be ungrateful. There is a very fine line between success and failure,” he stresses, before recalling Francisco Moura’s performance last season.

“Last season, Francisco Moura played 46 games, scored four goals, and provided 10 assists for FC Porto. For me, he is one of the best left-backs in Portugal – the main one is Nuno Mendes, but right after comes Francisco Moura. With the performance he had last season, people quickly forget what he did for FC Porto and judge him for this less fortunate moment. Society is often sarcastic, because we can have 89 good minutes and one bad one, but it’s that bad minute that will linger in the minds of many fans,” he laments.

Even so, Rui Santos once again highlights the player’s intelligence in the way he reacts to criticism.

“He knows the path he has to take. He wants to remove those obstacles from his path, especially on social media, and those negative feelings. He will know how to move forward with all his intelligence and willpower. I am sure that, in this week of training, he will give his best and will easily overcome this moment. Disabling [comments on social media] was an act of intelligence. We can choose the toxic things we want to have. He decided this way for the sake of his performance and his own well-being,” said the former Sp. Braga youth coordinator.

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