International break helps Martim Fernandes in FC Porto run-in | OneFootball

One of Francesco Farioli’s greatest qualities has been the way he manages to get the best out of each player, preventing the team from losing confidence when results or performances do not go as expected. One of the clearest examples of this approach is the evident growth of Martim Fernandes, who started the season below his usual level and even came in for harsh criticism from the fans.

Farioli, however, never gave up. He kept the right-back working hard in training, showed him complete confidence and, little by little, the young Olival graduate improved over the course of the season. In recent months, he has cemented his place in the starting eleven and, in some matches, even pushed Alberto Costa to the bench.

His high-level performance in Braga was the culmination of that progress. Martim produced his best version, combining defensive solidity with well-measured attacking intent. Whether on the right or the left, the 20-year-old full-back plays with the same commitment and discipline and is currently at the peak of his abilities… or very close to it.

The versatility that Martim Fernandes shows on the pitch is a weapon Farioli uses frequently, both at right-back and left-back; and, more recently, he was also used as a right midfielder against Stuttgart in the second leg of the UEFA Europa League round of 16. That happened at a stage when the German team were pushing harder down the left side of their attack, and it became necessary to reinforce that channel with a player offering greater defensive discipline to provide cover for Alberto. Martim responded with great quality and earned praise from the Porto coach at the end of the match.

The break gave him valuable rest

The strong performances delivered by Martim Fernandes stand out even more when one takes into account that the young defender has been dealing with persistent plantar fasciitis in his right foot, a problem that tends to worsen when the schedule becomes more demanding.

For that reason, the competitive break caused by the international fixtures has been important so that the player, who was not called up by Roberto Martínez or Luís Freire, could rest and recover from an injury that causes him pain and has sometimes forced him to leave the pitch early. Martim has managed to overcome the difficulties and promises to return in top form to help FC Porto in the most important stage of the season.

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