Farioli: “Bednarek? He’s already exceeded expectations, it’s remarkable” | OneFootball

Francesco Farioli, FC Porto coach, at the press conference previewing the match against Nottingham Forest for the Europa League. The third round game of the league phase is scheduled for 8 p.m. on Thursday:

State of FC Porto:

“We are coming back from the international break. The players who stayed with us improved in how they train and in how much they gave. For those who returned from the national teams, of course it took some time to put the pieces together. But I think the way we approached the Portuguese Cup match was very positive.”

Main difference between the Premier League and the Portuguese League, between English and Portuguese clubs:

“The answer, I think, is clear. It’s a league that, over the last ten years, has by far taken control in terms of investment possibilities, and that attracts the best players, the best physical profiles, and this alone is enough to create a gap with all the other competitions. Furthermore, once again, we cannot compete with the money and the budget they have. What we can do is show good spirit, the mentality we always have, and present ourselves as a group, with desire and humility. That is always something we must have with us, especially when things are going well. And, as Bednarek has already said, put into practice the things we’ve been working on since July 15 and give everything, because tomorrow will be a game full of challenges and duels. We need to compete, try to bring the football we want and, if that’s not possible, try another way to maximize the chances of success.”

Necessary approach for this match after the first two Europa League games:

“Of course, playing in Europe requires different things than playing in the league. The level of competition rises, it’s normal, and in this part we had two games that were different from each other. In Salzburg, the game was played on a pitch that made it hard to play our football and I think we struggled more than we should have in building the game the way we wanted. I think, against Red Star, we had total control of the game, we paid the price for a play that cost us a goal, but otherwise it was a positive game. Tomorrow is a different scenario, a different level of opponent, we are aware of what the game will demand.”

Importance of a player like Bednarek in this context:

“He is key. Not just for tomorrow. When we decided, in the market, to go for Bednarek, we knew exactly what we expected and I must say we’ve already had more than we expected. I know him as a player, I had good reports about him as a leader in the group, but I definitely found a player who is truly special, for different reasons. What he is doing on and off the pitch is remarkable. He arrived with humility and respect for everyone, but always setting the standard, raising the bar, and I think it’s no coincidence what we are doing and his help is enormous.”

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