Jorge Amaral: Rodrigo Mora only plays for Porto in a crisis | OneFootball

In the twelfth official game of the 2025/26 season, FC Porto saw their unbeaten streak come to an end with a 0-2 loss away to Nottingham Forest, in the third round of the Europa League group stage.

The defeat was marked by a lackluster performance from the team led by Francesco Farioli, who opted for a cautious approach and fielded a midfield with Alan Varela, Pablo Rosario, and Victor Froholdt.

The creative players Gabri Veiga and Rodrigo Mora remained on the bench, only being introduced in the final minutes when the team was already trailing.

In exclusive statements to the portal Desporto ao Minuto, Jorge Amaral criticized the game model of the current I Liga leader.

“This defeat is frustrating! FC Porto missed a golden opportunity to win in England against a team going through a tough time. Farioli wanted to match the physical aspect with the opponent's midfield and ‘forgot’ about the technical side of the game, about working with the ball. Samu was a ‘victim’ of the team, and the midfielders lacked the ability to connect. The substitutions were also unfortunate. Generally, they are like-for-like, and this game called for a different tactical nuance, perhaps opening up the attack more,” highlighted the former goalkeeper of the dragons, once again emphasizing the limited role of Rodrigo Mora, who came on 13 minutes before the 90.

“It's a déjà vu this season. He started by bringing Gabri Veiga onto the field, but quickly realized he wasn't adding anything to the game. It's difficult for the young player to have confidence when it doesn't come from the coach. He was the hero in the [2-1] victory against Red Star and since then has only been brought on at the end of matches. This is not how you manage the most technically gifted player in the squad, and perhaps in the I Liga. In this FC Porto, Rodrigo Mora is seen as a player to bring on when the ‘house is on fire’ or when the ‘doors are wide open’, meaning when the game is already decided,” he noted.

After scoring 11 goals last season, Rodrigo Mora has struggled to establish himself under Francesco Farioli. In 10 games, he has scored only once.

“I understand that when you sign a Gabri Veiga, who gives up 90% of his salary to come to FC Porto, he is the initial choice, but let the field speak. I do not question his value, but are you going to tell me he is justifying his investment and deserves so many more minutes than Rodrigo Mora?” questioned Jorge Amaral.

“The only difference between them is the physical aspect. However, I remember that when Vitinha first appeared on the main team, he was also a lightweight player. Currently, he plays as a 6 or 8 at PSG and is the best midfielder in the world, alongside Pedri [Barcelona]. I insist that Rodrigo Mora is a certainty, you only become aggressive with the game,” concluded the former player.

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