Farioli: “Costa and Froholdt off? I deserve a quiet holiday” | OneFootball

Francesco Farioli spoke about FC Porto on a day of celebration, while still acknowledging that the transfer market is already beginning to take shape on the horizon. Between the possible departure of Diogo Costa and Froholdt, the certainty of changes in the squad, and his refusal to comment on outside names, the coach tried to focus attention on what he considers the priority at this stage: valuing the group that has just finished the season. And amid all the caution, he ended up delivering the most relaxed line of the press conference when he said: “I think I deserve it.”

In the aftermath of the last match, and with the season calling first for reflection and only then for decisions, Francesco Farioli remained faithful to a clear line of discourse: celebrate first, think about the rest later. The FC Porto coach did not ignore the natural noise of an approaching summer, but he made a point of steering the conversation back to the work that has been done and the stability he still wants to preserve.

Asked about the possibility of losing two important players, Diogo Costa and Froholdt, Farioli responded without dramatizing, but also without fueling speculation. He preferred to talk about rest, the desired continuity, and the willingness shown by the players themselves.

“No, I don’t want to think about that, otherwise my holidays won’t be the way I want them to be. To be honest, I think I deserve, after many years, a holiday with some peace and quiet,” he said. “I will watch Diogo at the World Cup. I’ve already had my conversation with him; he is very happy to stay, to continue the work, and to play in the Champions League again with this club. As for Froholdt, I think he has already made his position very clear: he wants to stay with us and play in the Champions League. He is very young, so he will have time to leave when the right opportunities arise and, hopefully, not next season.”

Rather than shutting the door completely, the coach sent a message of calm and confidence in the commitment of both players. At the same time, there is a desire for continuity and an awareness that football always lives between conviction in the present and uncertainty about what is still to come.

When the conversation moved on to the possibility of broader departures from the squad, Farioli did not shy away from the subject. He acknowledged the nature of football and framed the end of a cycle with a strong image, without giving up his praise for the group that carried the season to this point.

“That is nothing new. I said it yesterday, in the press conference after the last match: this is football,” he stressed. “This group had its ‘last dance’ on Saturday. The moment the trophy is placed here in the museum will be the final moment of this memorable group from this season. Then, of course, there will be adjustments; players who will want to leave to have different opportunities, players who will be sought after in different situations. But on our side, it is very clear what we want to do, what we are open to receiving, and how we want to move in the market. But today is a day to celebrate this group, celebrate the work they have done, and finally celebrate a historic achievement that all of us and this city truly wanted more than anything else.”

The message draws a clear line between what is inevitable and what is non-negotiable. Farioli accepts that there will be changes, but refuses to let that movement erase the symbolic weight of what he calls a memorable group, insisting that this is a moment for celebration before any rebuilding.

As for names from outside the Porto world, the coach completely shut down. Faced with questions about Gustavo Sá and then about the possibility of a name like Lewandowski, he kept the same verbal discipline and the same refusal to enter speculative territory.

“Once again, we are here to talk about our players. If you want to talk about our players, I am more than happy to give you my opinion. About players who do not wear the FC Porto shirt, I am not here to make any kind of comment.”

Farioli reinforced that idea when another name was put to him, this time in even more definitive terms.

“I have to stick to my answer, and I think you understand. We are not here to judge champions who definitely do not need my words to be described in a better way.”

It was the way he found to protect the press conference from the fascination of the market and easy headlines. In the end, the message was repeated consistently: the coach wants to talk about what he has, preserve what he can keep, and leave the noise until after the celebrations.

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