Farioli: “Manchester City? Moreirense first, then the three points” | OneFootball

The clash between FC Porto and Moreirense comes at a particularly important — and motivating — stage for the Dragons. Coached by Francesco Farioli, the team has made a devastating start to the league campaign, winning every match played in the country’s top competition so far. Even so, the meeting with the Cónegos carries special significance as it comes before their return to European competition. Next Tuesday, FC Porto will face Manchester City at the Estádio do Dragão in the opening matchday of the Champions League league phase, so the aim is to maintain absolute focus on the domestic league before an intense run of fixtures.

The history of this matchup at Porto’s ground is also striking. FC Porto and Moreirense have faced each other 17 times at the Dragons’ home, across all competitions, and victory has always gone to the hosts. Of those 17 wins, 15 came in the league — a record that clearly shows how difficult the task will be for the Minho side.

This historical imbalance makes the meeting between two teams with different objectives even more interesting. FC Porto want to maintain their flawless league run, extend their unbeaten record against Moreirense, and face Manchester City with their confidence intact and… their feet on the ground.

On the other side, Moreirense will try to use that history as a source of pressure on the blue-and-whites, at a time when the Champions League is already drawing near. Before the European fixture, a draw — and even more so a defeat — would be an unwanted result for a team used to winning and currently enjoying a positive spell.

It is in this context that Francesco Farioli comes in. The Italian coach will have to prepare the team for a switch between matchdays and competitions while also ensuring that the squad maintains its high standards. The intensity, the high pressing applied to opponents, shown against Rio Ave and especially Arouca, and the defensive organization without the ball will all have to remain hallmarks of Porto’s performances.

The proximity of the match against Manchester City naturally makes it tempting to ‘think about’ that game, especially given the attention surrounding the return of the Champions League to the Estádio do Dragão. However, for Farioli, that anticipation cannot interfere with a match in which the three points remain the absolute priority.

That has, in fact, been the message the Italian has conveyed to the squad since the start of his spell at FC Porto: one thing at a time. Just as last season, Farioli wants a balanced team in the way it manages its ambition, focused on the league while also determined to go as far as possible in the Champions League. The formula remains the same: first Moreirense and the fight for the three points; then Manchester City and the Champions League.

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