Farioli claims ‘clear red’ and explains ‘longer-than-usual’ celebrations | OneFootball

Francesco Farioli expressed satisfaction with the team's attitude after conceding the goal, but highlighted several off-field factors that, in his opinion, disadvantaged FC Porto.

The substitutes came in well, but Seko Fofana changed the game: “We talk about him, but we cannot forget the others who came on. Seko came in to gain meters, be aggressive, press, and recover the ball during transitions... Now we enjoy it for a few hours, and in a few days, we restart with the same humility and desire to improve. When we return, we'll be in the last part of the marathon, and we'll need everyone at top levels and in great physical condition. It will be important for everyone to be ready for the final effort.”

You seemed more nervous than usual at the end, was it because of the importance of this game? “Today was a very important game, and you probably saw me more intense in some things because I think there was a very clear red card with Oskar [Pietuszewski]. The player [Lagerbielke] prevented [Oskar Pietuszewski] from advancing with a hit to the face, and having an extra man would have been a great advantage. Deniz [Gul]'s situation can be discussed; there are situations that can change the game, and it was important to keep everyone united. Our season's motto has been ‘we go together’ because we know the difficult scenario we face, but the best part of the night was the team's reaction, the power, and the desire to come back strong.”

You mentioned that you will let the team celebrate longer than usual. Do you feel that going into the international break with this advantage gives the team a lot of confidence for the final stretch of the championship? “The celebration is for today's performance. Two days ago, we beat a top Bundesliga team twice [Stuttgart] and reached the quarter-finals [of the Europa League]. [The celebration of that achievement] was just a minute in the locker room, and then we turned the page to focus on today. Today's celebration is for this month's work because at some point, you have to have some pleasure. It will be longer than usual, but after the break for those not going to the national teams, we will return grounded and again with the desire to run and fight for every ball. How many days off will they have? They will have a few days; I have to negotiate internally.”

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