Francesco Farioli: “All the players stepped up despite the changes” | OneFootball

Francesco Farioli, FC Porto’s coach, highlighted the team’s response in the 3-1 win over Deportivo, in a friendly marked by several positional experiments. The coach praised the comeback, the absence of physical issues, and the signs shown before the return to official competition, and assured: “everyone delivered.”

In a test designed to keep the team active and explore new solutions, Francesco Farioli found reasons to be satisfied, although he acknowledged a below-par start. Between managing minutes, integrating Smalling, and André Silva’s progress, one central idea remained: FC Porto used the friendly to prepare for what lies ahead.

Despite the many changes, Farioli felt the team maintained its quality and responded to the demands set during the week. The comeback win reinforced the coach’s positive assessment.

“It was a very good test, lots of changes, players in different positions, but everyone delivered,” he said. “We looked for new things during the week because of the various absences. A good test, no injuries, which is always good, and a comeback win, which is also pleasing.”

When analyzing the feelings left by the match, the coach admitted that the Dragons took time to find the right rhythm, but stressed the reaction and the chance to rehearse new solutions.

“It was a very good game against a capable opponent. We didn’t start as we should have,” he admitted. “The opening minutes did not reflect our best, we took time to get into the game, but the reaction was important. Happy with the good test, with no injuries, and to give Smalling his first minutes, as well as trying some new things, like the positions of Moura and Pepê.”

The friendly served a dual purpose: it exposed aspects to correct and allowed alternatives to be tested without leaving physical consequences. For Farioli, the team’s reaction ultimately carried more weight than the poor start.

Managing minutes was not left to chance. The coach explained that all substitutions were planned, with special attention on players still seeking their best condition.

“All the substitutions were planned. Some were good for 45 minutes, Smalling only arrived recently, so it’s normal that he had less time,” he explained. “Now it’s about giving some rest time and waiting for the internationals so we can start preparing for the difficult game against Marítimo.”

The plan sought to balance the need to compete with each player’s individual condition. Smalling, as a recent arrival, was one of the cases handled with the greatest caution.

The signing of the defender came, according to Farioli, from an internal assessment of the squad’s needs. Néhuen Pérez’s prolonged absence led FC Porto to look for a solution capable of adding experience and a winning mentality.

“There was an internal discussion and an alignment of ideas regarding the group’s needs,” he explained. “We shared that, as you know there was a physical problem with Néhuen Pérez, who was out for a long time, and to protect the team and the players, we felt it was necessary to add something new, and we brought in a champion, someone who played in the Champions League, has a champion’s mentality, and has come to help.”

Farioli then went deeper into the process that led to Smalling’s arrival, highlighting the player’s accumulated experience and the effort made by the club.

“It was a decision that came from a joint analysis. We felt that, with Nehuén’s injury, it was something we needed, and we went for a player outside the market. He has 380 games for Man United, 180 for Roma, Champions League experience, he has the mentality we needed,” he stressed. “I spoke with him about expectations and what he can do, and about the financial effort the club made to bring him in. He knows where he is and we are happy to have him. Now it’s about getting him into the best condition to play as quickly as possible because the season is long and we need everyone.”

The priority is to speed up his integration without rushing the defender’s use. The coach is counting on Smalling for a long season, but first wants to get him into the ideal condition.

André Silva was another of the standout names, with two goals that earned praise from Farioli. The coach linked the forward’s performance to the work and commitment he has shown.

“He deserves it. He’s working very well, always committed to helping the team, and today he scored two fantastic goals,” he said. “One like a true centre-forward and the other of very high technical quality. I’m very happy for him, but he is getting everything he deserves.”

More than the goals, Farioli valued the way André Silva has put himself at the service of the collective. In the coach’s reading, the display came as a direct consequence of that commitment.

The experiments also extended to the left flank during the second half. João Souza and Mec earned individual praise, with Farioli distinguishing between quality on the ball and the mental demands associated with the team’s game.

“João Souza did well, he controlled the game, was good on the ball, still without the necessary physical readiness, but with the ball I think he is going to help us in many ways. With Mec, his qualities leave no doubt,” he analyzed. “His contribution was important, I think he will give even more because here it’s not just about playing football, it’s also about mentality.”

The experiment offered new clues, but also showed that technical quality alone is not enough. In Farioli’s view, physical capacity and mentality will have to accompany talent if these solutions are to gain space.

With the friendly over, the focus now turns to Marítimo and the return of the internationals. The coach is anticipating a demanding trip to Madeira and wants to quickly recover the team’s competitive focus.

“Now reality returns. It was normal to have a 15-day break, now it was 21 days,” he summed up. “The important thing is to recover the necessary mentality, reconnect everyone. I’m sure they will arrive ready to play, but they have to be focused because we already have a very difficult game in Madeira, which always proves to be very difficult. A lot of things to do, but we have to wait for them to arrive and on Monday start working flat out.”

The test against Deportivo left good signs, but Farioli does not confuse a friendly with competitive demands. The priority now is to bring the group together, recover intensity, and prepare for the challenge in Madeira without distractions.

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