Farioli on Casa Pia v Porto: "Pace up front, very physical side" | OneFootball

Francesco Farioli presented the preview for the Casa Pia–FC Porto match, related to the 20th round of the Primeira Liga, scheduled for this Monday, February 2nd, at 8:45 PM. In a press conference, he began by stating:

«As I said, the field will most likely not be in the best condition, but this is much more than tomorrow's pitch. Everything that has happened in the country has left us worried and with some feelings. A few days ago, we also experienced a similar situation in my country, especially in the city where my wife is from. As we have seen on television, many people are without shelter. It's true that tomorrow the field will most likely not be in the best condition, but it is nothing compared to what people are going through at the moment».

Francesco Farioli discussed his view of Casa Pia:

«I may seem very repetitive, but the way we prepare for games is always the same. Casa Pia recently changed their coach. Therefore, we had to go back in time, to the times when he was at Vizela, where he had a fantastic campaign, but also during his period at Vitória SC to be prepared for tomorrow's match. Casa Pia may play with a back three, but the players also have routines with a back four. In the last game, they scored three goals. It's a team with speed in the front men, very physical, very strong in transitions. Set pieces will also be important tomorrow».

Francesco Farioli commented on the arrival of Terem Moffi to the club:

«We are very happy with the team, but as we said before, we are attentive to some possibilities. Moffi is a player I know very well, he played against us in the Europa League when we played against Nice. He has some characteristics somewhat similar to Samu, but he can add some different variants. We considered it important to have another solution up front, considering the competitions we are involved in. The president's work has been important. It's necessary to maintain the balance and bring the best players, within what is possible, both financially and in terms of mentality, talent, and quality».

Francesco Farioli responded about whether the signing of Seko Fofana closes FC Porto's winter market entries:

«I cannot deny that there are things happening behind the scenes, there will probably be one more entry and one exit in the squad. I understand your question, especially since the market is ending, but our priority for today is tomorrow's game, which is very important for us».

Francesco Farioli was asked about the impact of Portuguese teams' European results on the Primeira Liga:

«I don't know. What I do know and what I will repeat is that none of this really surprises me. When I came here, I knew I was coming to a very competitive league. My staff tried to do their homework and when we arrived here, we found exactly what we had seen: we found a very competitive league, with teams that have been doing very well in the Champions League, with another team also finishing in the top-8 of the Europa League. All this shows the quality of the Portuguese league and Portuguese coaches. Considering that we are also part of Portuguese football, we can only be satisfied with these sporting results, as it further elevates the quality of the competitions and teams».

«It will be a strange month for us, there will be a difference in routines. On paper, it all looks very good because we will have more work to work on and manage individual dossiers and set things on the right track. But slowing down the work pace a bit has to lead us to increase our concentration for everything that might happen in the coming times, especially in the next three weeks, where we will have practically one game per week. We have to be prepared physically and mentally as well, especially since the last months of the season will be very important and decisive for us».

Francesco Farioli commented on the team's options and decisions:

«I agree with part of what you said at the end of your question, it's true that there were games where we could have put the ball in the opponent's goal earlier and that we also had less assertiveness and effectiveness in the final pass. But I believe all the players have been doing very well from the start, especially the defenders. I hope the players who arrived for the attack can have the necessary clarity to convert the large number of opportunities we have been creating offensively. But of course, there will always be things to improve».

Francesco Farioli added:

«Of course, having games with a few extra goals makes us satisfied. We always want to score as many goals as possible. Unlike the last two games, it's true that we only scored one goal, but it's also true that we created many opportunities. Our goal is to create opportunities to score and not concede dangerous opportunities to our opponents. Of course, our effectiveness always determines the success we have or not in games, but that also depends on the moment the players are going through. Of course, we always want to score more goals, but for us, the most important thing is to stay on our path of growth. As for the president's words, I also agree that February will be very important. But so will March, April, and May. Our focus should always be on the next game, not only for the players but also for everyone working around the team. We are still in the process of reaching the level that a club like FC Porto deserves. Now, it's up to us to turn the club's goals into something concrete».

«What is important is to maintain the rhythm, to move forward. I understand your perception from the point of view of those on the outside, that everyone is focused on the game on the 9th, but for us, the most important is the game on the 2nd, especially since Casa Pia will certainly try to play all their cards on the field to try to surprise us. We will not change our way of approaching games or make calculations about the future. The most important thing for us is the present, and the present is precisely Casa Pia, and that is the opponent that deserves our attention at this moment», said Francesco Farioli.

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