Farioli on Nice: "They have one of France's top managers" | OneFootball

Francesco Farioli spoke before the match between FC Porto and Nice in the Europa League, stating his desire to return to winning ways in the competition after the draw against Utrecht.

«As Samu said, we analyzed and gave them the respect they deserve. They are a good team, with one of the best French coaches of the last decade, who did a fantastic job at Lens. Last season, he brought the team to Champions League qualification. A difficult moment is just a phase that can happen. It will be a physical game, a team that defends man-to-man with many duels and transitions. That’s the way they play against all opponents. Both teams will want to win».

«Nice will play as they have been playing, that’s their style, both the coach and the club. They are an intense team, I expect a high-intensity game. Against Marseille, they could have scored two or three goals in the first half. They played against a strong team, gave away chances, and suffered because of it. I don’t expect changes».

«Returns of Victor Froholdt and Jan Bednarek? It’s good to have the players back. These have been positive days, apart from Neuhén we’ve recovered important players. It’s good for tomorrow, for the training sessions, and for the group itself».

«Europa League and rotation? For us, when we talk about identity and behaviors on the pitch, we want to do the same against all opponents. Sometimes the game goes differently and we have to change, also according to the opponent. We have to be able to adapt to the moment of the game, not just our style. Understanding where the advantages are and how to create them are micro-situations that then create a bigger picture. That’s the main characteristic for tomorrow’s game. It will be decided by moments, by controlling transitions, by a clear approach. When it’s not possible to manage that, we have to fight with all our strength».

«FC Porto players in the U-17 World Cup? Tomorrow will be a great opportunity for them to experience something big and hopefully celebrate an important title. It’s very good for FC Porto to have five players there and for them to be part of the usual starting eleven. We’ve been following their progress, some have already trained with the first team. We’ve been following and supporting them».

«Rodrigo Mora and Gabri Veiga together? The possibility has been there even before the last game. It’s been there from the beginning. Then it’s about finding the right moment and the right game. The most important thing is to see the team compete and win games. It’s about seeing the spirit in the locker room. Samu got two yellow cards for celebrating goals by Luuk and Deniz, and at one point I even lost my cool with him. That’s the spirit we need to have, but without the yellow cards [laughs]. Samu is an example of sacrifice for the team and trying to help. We ask a lot in pressing and demand a lot, even when we defend deeper. What he, Gabri, and Rodrigo are doing is very important. There are moments when Rodrigo and Gabri sprint 50 meters to recover the ball. If we want to move forward, that’s what we need».

«A busy January with many games? It’s a challenge for all coaches and players of big teams. If we do our games well, it means playing every three days. We have to adjust training accordingly. That’s why invisible training—how we eat, how we sleep, how we recover, how we prepare for games—is so important. I’m thrilled with the professionalism and level of the team. There are no secrets to getting closer to success. The solution is to work harder than the others and better than the others, if possible».

«Marseille’s game against Nice? It’s an analysis that goes beyond the result. It says a lot about Marseille’s ability to convert chances, and for me the result was a bit unfair. Marseille deserved to win, but they could have suffered as well. The focus is on Nice. Both in organization and individual quality, they can change. We have to go cautiously, but we want to give our fans a special night».

The fifth round match of the Europa League between FC Porto and Nice will take place at Estádio do Dragão this Thursday, November 27, at 5:45 p.m.

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