FC Porto host Moreirense FC to defend top spot and 100% winning record | OneFootball

The opening match of matchday five of the league takes Moreirense FC to the Estádio do Dragão, where FC Porto aim to keep sole possession of first place and extend their 100% winning run in the competition (8:15pm, Sport TV). In his preview of the match, Francesco Farioli also spoke about the recent signings of Souza, Gabriel Mec and Santiago Gimenez, describing the opposition as a team “that will demand attention and the right mindset.” The Porto coach also stressed that the proximity of the Champions League does not distract the blue-and-whites: “Absolutely nothing enters our minds that takes us away from kickoff at the Dragão; that is where our attention is. They are different books, different competitions, and this year will be the same. Our focus is on Moreirense and the game that opens this round of the league, for which we have to prepare with the right spirit. The last few days have shown that we have the right attitude and are on the right path for the game,” the coach added. Going into this round, the National Champions lead the competition with 12 points, two more than Sporting. Moreirense FC sit 11th, with four points.

Moreirense FC “We have followed Moreirense FC’s development since last season and they have had a fantastic start since Vasco Botelho da Costa arrived. They have a very attacking mentality and are capable of creating advantages in different areas of the pitch. With what we know from last season and from what we saw in the friendlies they played in pre-season, they are a team that will demand attention and the right mindset from us in approaching the game.”

The Champions League after Moreirense FC “Absolutely nothing enters our minds that takes us away from kickoff at the Dragão; that is where our attention is. They are different books, different competitions, and this year will be the same. Our focus is on Moreirense and the game that opens this round of the league, for which we have to prepare with the right spirit. The last few days have shown that we have the right attitude and are on the right path for the game.”

The core of the squad has stayed the same “Of course, continuing the work we have done is crucial. We know what our expectations are and what we demand from the players, and they know how they can manage things, how I see football and daily life at Olival. On the one hand, that makes things easier and creates a different speed in every process. On the other hand, when you spend a lot of time with the same people, there is a risk of going onto autopilot, but we have done a good job of keeping that away. The group continues to show the same desire to go further. It makes me happy to see how the team is doing. In the last few days we have had some additions and now the challenge is to integrate them, because they all come from different environments and have different stories. They have not had many competitive minutes in recent months. The last two days were the first in which Santi [Santiago Gimenez] trained with the team and our real challenge now is to get everyone to the same level physically, maximize everyone’s quality and raise the level of the group; that is the priority. Between the mix of those who stayed and the new faces, there will be a lot of work to do. Soon we will start playing every three days and later there will be an international break; these are periods that will demand a lot of work and a reset from everyone. It is a process that will require a lot of effort, a lot of patience and a lot of commitment from everyone involved.”

Souza and Santiago Gimenez “Some players arrived yesterday and are not ready to play immediately. We have André [Silva] and later we will have Samu, who is recovering. Santiago [Gimenez] is an experienced player who will contribute a lot this season, but he comes from two difficult seasons and now we have to restore his physical levels and ideal fitness. Since I arrived, this team has made intensity and fitness levels a priority, but it also has to do with the players’ profile and their ability to give their maximum in order to express their potential. For Souza and for Santiago, pre-season starts now. It is not a process that will be completed overnight or in a week; it will require patience, work and attention to detail. We play at a level where the margins are very small and all the little details can make the biggest difference. If all the paperwork is completed, both will be in the squad. Gabriel [Mec] is a different story; we could even include him, but the paperwork is not completed.”

The UEFA list “Yesterday was a day when we had to make decisions according to the needs and the possible scenarios I expect to face. Leaving Dominik [Prpic] out is difficult, because he is a player who has been with us for a year and who helps us a lot when he plays and in training. Yesterday I explained the scenarios to him and he accepted it; he is happy to stay and to help. The fact that he is not on the UEFA list does not compromise anything, because there are many games to be played and there will be time for everyone to help. The 23/24 players who are part of the group will have an important role. Last season’s experience taught us that. I do not want a team in which players are always in the same position; I like there to be competition. In such a long season, your level can drop and someone else’s can rise, which is what we need. For example, Alberto Costa’s rise in form helped us at the time of Martim Fernandes’s injury, and Martim Fernandes’s rise helped us when Alberto Costa was more tired. The same happened with Alan Varela, Pablo Rosario, Gabri Veiga, Rodrigo Mora and Seko Fofana. That is what we need, and this season we will need it even more.”

Diogo Costa “The limits I set at the airport for Diogo staying worked out well. I believe it is essential for us to have him with us.”

Seko Fofana “Tomorrow he will be with the team and he is ready to help in whatever is asked of him. He is ready and this week he was already at 100% with the team.”

André Silva, Samu and Santiago Gimenez leading the attack “With Santiago, we will go day by day; we have to see how he develops. Very often, we may even use the games to improve his condition. The summer was not easy for him and the last two years were complicated. We are not discussing the player’s level, because he had a strong impact at the clubs he has played for, he has experience and he comes with a lot of hunger and desire to help. André Silva is in great form and yesterday we even joked about him having run almost 12 kilometres against Académico. He almost reached Victor Froholdt’s numbers. That says a lot about his spirit, his desire to win and to always put himself at the service of the team, scoring goals, but also defensively with remarkable focus. You can see his leadership on the pitch and the confidence his teammates have in him. With these three men, a lot of FC Porto’s season will go through them, so we will try to have all three in the best possible shape.”

Gabriel Mec “He is a player who has certain characteristics similar to Rodrigo [Mora], but I believe he is more of an inside winger, and he can also play as an attacking midfielder. He is a player who made a good start to his professional career at Grêmio and has a lot of potential. The club is always alert to potential market opportunities and a player with this potential was an opportunity, so we went for him. We have to see how he develops; there is a lot of work to do, he has to grow physically and adapt to different demands. There is no rush to force anything, but we want him to be ready as quickly as possible. There will also be opportunities for him.”

Samu “My decision on Samu is clear: he is a player we cannot do without, he is very important for us. We are all waiting for him to come back as quickly as possible. I want to have this weapon and that is why he is on the UEFA list. He has been doing a fantastic job, with a great desire to push himself beyond the limits of human possibilities. The work Pedro [Silva] did with him, almost sleeping beside him, was incredible. When I see him running, I think about putting him in the starting eleven, because he is a monster. But on the other hand, there are physiological issues that have to be respected. We will try to reduce the time he is out, but we cannot put the player at risk just because of that desire to have him back sooner. Before having him on the pitch, I want all the green lights from the medical department, and everything will be done that way. This period has helped him understand the importance of hard work. He says he has never worked so much and is even better in some physical aspects than he was before the injury. We will take the right steps, without forcing it.”

The market is closed and the group is complete “In this team, everyone has to play a role. The market and all the news about possible players coming in can create difficulties or mental pressure at some point. For us, the market is closed and this is the group we will have at least until January. From here on, these are the players we have to trust and they are the ones who will wear this shirt in a competitive season full of challenges. Some felt they could be somewhere else, but now it is time to come back here at full throttle and get ready as quickly as possible. We will need the best version of each of us to compete in every competition with the desire to do our best and make our fans happy.”

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