FC Porto recover Samu and Pietuszewski for the tough spell ahead | OneFootball

The use of Samu and Pietuszewski in the final minutes of the clássico against Benfica meant more than one thing for FC Porto. Besides helping to celebrate the victory in the first derby of the season, it confirmed both players’ full recovery from lengthy injuries, especially in the case of the Spanish forward, leaving them ready to strengthen the team in the demanding run of matches ahead.

Francesco Farioli will therefore have more options and a greater need to manage the squad, in a period marked by three Champions League fixtures against Betis, PSV Eindhoven and Napoli. In between, the Dragons face Marítimo away, Gil Vicente also away, Estoril at the Dragão, and V. Guimarães away in the league. The clash with Académico de Viseu in the Allianz Cup is also scheduled.

The return of Samu and Pietuszewski significantly increases Farioli’s attacking options. At 22, the Spaniard was Porto’s top scorer last season, despite missing practically the entire second half of the league campaign. The 18-year-old Pole, meanwhile, has established himself as one of the team’s breakout players since January, standing out for his pace and dribbling ability.

Although FC Porto lead the Betclic League outright without having clearly felt the absence of the two players, the availability of both allows them to approach the various competitions with greater attacking strength. Samu will compete for a place with André Silva and Santiago Gimenez, while Pietuszewski will try to earn more space in the team amid competition from Pepê and Borja Sainz.

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