Farioli on Guimarães: Facing the league’s in-form, trophy-winning side | OneFootball

Francesco Farioli was present in the Olival press room to preview the 18th round match of the Primeira Liga between Vitória SC and FC Porto, starting by praising the team led by Luís Pinto:

“This is the third time we will play against them. We are going to face the team that is in the best form in the league, after having celebrated winning a title. I have to congratulate them for what they have done. They have already beaten us here at home and can fight to be in the top 4. It’s a difficult game and we need to be alert.”

Farioli warned that the second half of the season will be more demanding:

“With tomorrow’s match we start the second half of the season, doing better is difficult, it will be complicated, the matches in the second half are always more demanding, they are not just worth 3 points, these are results that can have consequences. It will require a lot of attention and dedication. We have to go in with the right attitude, transfer the good vibes from the last match. What lies ahead of us is the future. We have to be very connected and focused. Vitória has proven that they can be very competitive against everyone, they are a team capable of turning things around. I expect a strong start from them.”

Francesco Farioli confirmed Alan Varela’s presence in the starting eleven:

“He will start. I believe in the ability to rotate players, to maximize their moment. Another example is Martim Fernandes, he had some injuries, now he is putting in good performances with room to improve. We will need Alan tomorrow. I am sure he will make the right impact on the game.”

The coach also announced the return of Francisco Moura to the squad and said:

“Except for Luuk [de Jong] and Nehuén [Pérez], the others are ready.”

Farioli stated that the management is keeping an eye on the market, but the squad is considered closed unless relevant opportunities arise:

“It was very clear, we are alert according to the opportunities that may appear. If nothing special happens, we are ready to continue with those we have now. Oskar and Thiago came for positions where we had few players. There are only a few days left, but I think the message was clear, we are always connected. We are very calm and comfortable. Of course, we always want to improve the team if an opportunity arises.”

The coach highlighted Thiago Silva’s performance in the classic against Benfica:

“It was incredible. In training in the Algarve he trained very well. We were surprised by the way he finished the game, how he managed to play the full 90 minutes. His quality and leadership help us. He recovered and trained well, he is ready to play, just as the other center-backs are ready.”

On the progress of Prpic and Alarcón, Farioli commented:

“Prpic arrived as a young player, he has worked hard and maximized every opportunity. We trust his abilities. His progression has been very positive, he has improved a lot in many areas of the game. He is very intelligent, has a fantastic spirit. He will have his role in the coming months. Alarcón? He didn’t start very well, when the transfer window closed I had a conversation with him about expectations, he has had fantastic development, he will continue to help us in the first and second teams. We’ll see what happens in the next few days. He has a market. My wish is to keep him because I believe he can help us.”

The coach also praised Mateus Mide, recently honored with the municipal merit medal:

“He has been doing well, he has been with us in training. He is a player who is on our radar, we are paying a lot of attention to him, watching his games, watching his physical development. Developing him physically is a key factor. I am sure he will have an important role in the future in the first team. These comments are for him, but also for all the youngsters.”

To conclude, Farioli once again praised the opponent’s current form and insisted on the priority of tomorrow’s match:

“From my side, when you are the coach of a club of this size, you go in to win every game. The Europa League will be a topic in 5 days. The reality is that there is no match more important than tomorrow’s, Vitória is in a great moment, they are a very strong team in transitions, we paid the price. They are a physically strong team, with interesting rotations. Before thinking about what might happen in May, let me focus on the match with Vitória SC.”

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