Farioli rebuts criticism of Pepê: “He offers FC Porto far more than goals” | OneFootball

Francesco Farioli came to Pepê’s defense and highlighted the importance of the Brazilian’s contribution to the FC Porto team beyond his attacking numbers.

The Porto coach said that the player has been criticized for not posting a high goal tally, but made it clear that his assessment goes far beyond that statistic. In Farioli’s view, Pepê brings the team work that is less visible from the outside, but of enormous value to the collective functioning.

The message left by the coach is that a player’s performance cannot be reduced to finishing or direct goal production. In Pepê’s case, his impact extends to tactical duties, the team’s balance, and contributions that are not always reflected in the most obvious numbers.

With this stance, Farioli reinforces his confidence in the Brazilian international and seeks to frame his role within a broader perspective of the game. The FC Porto coach’s message points to the importance of off-the-ball work, tactical discipline, and the ability to help the team in different moments of the match.

Pepê therefore continues to deserve the confidence of Porto’s coaching staff, who value his influence on the team even when his attacking output does not stand out so clearly.

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