Nuno Encarnação: “Some players don't deserve to stay in this squad” | OneFootball

FC Porto, already confirmed as champions, suffered a surprising and unexpected 3-1 defeat this Sunday against modest AVS SAD, in a Matchday 33 Liga Betclic clash that left the Porto world in shock. At a time when the club should have been celebrating the title, this setback triggered a wave of harsh criticism from fans and former players, who did not spare either the squad or the coaching staff led by Francesco Farioli.

Nuno Encarnação, a businessman and passionate Dragons supporter, did not hide his indignation: “In the space of a month, FC Porto lose to Nottingham and now to AVS, in two games against the ‘league of the last’. There are players who do not deserve to remain in this squad. The parade on Aliados is only next week; taking a stroll in Vila das Aves was a bad choice.” A direct and blunt criticism that underlines the urgent need for changes within the group of players.

Gaspar Azevedo, also a former FC Porto player, did not let the champions’ slip go unnoticed either: “FC Porto faced a relaxed opponent and Diogo Costa was on the bench. The best Cláudio Ramos is on a par with the worst Diogo Costa. Then everything ends up coming together. They conceded very soft goals and missed some sitters up front. The celebrations always leave a few dents. It was a typical end-of-season game, but it was entertaining.” Azevedo highlights the absence of the first-choice goalkeeper and the lack of concentration as decisive factors in this unexpected defeat.

Jorge Amaral, another former Porto player, reinforced this view with a sharp assessment of the team’s attitude: “It is a harsh result for FC Porto as a result of several factors: the lack of competitive focus, the celebrations after becoming champions. It was a very ‘soft’ team; when they tried to speed up, they showed their major problem with finishing. Then there were the defensive errors that led to AVS SAD’s goals.” For Amaral, the combination of lack of motivation and defensive mistakes ended up being fatal to the final outcome.

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