Pablo Rosario: Farioli’s all-rounder gives FC Porto balance and flow | OneFootball

Pablo Rosario has established himself as one of the most important figures in the team led by Francesco Farioli. After starting the season in pole position for the defensive midfield role, featuring in the Super Cup against Torreense, the Dominican cemented his status as first choice. His rise came despite competition from Alan Varela, until recently the main reference for the Dragons in that position.

The shift in the pecking order has been backed up by Rosario’s performances. Known for his versatility, the Dominican international, currently away with the national team, has also been growing in importance in Porto’s attacking play. In 2025/26, he featured in 40 matches, totaling 2,945 minutes, scoring two goals and providing one assist. This season, he has played nine matches and 752 minutes, with eight starts. Still without a goal, he has already surpassed last season’s assist tally with two, both for André Silva, in the matches against Académico de Viseu and Casa Pia.

In Sunday’s clássico against Benfica, Rosario once again showed the influence he has on Farioli’s FC Porto. With the score still at 0-0, he prevented a goal from Bah, celebrating the block with Bednarek. Later, he played a decisive role in the 2-1, slicing through Benfica’s defensive shape with a vertical pass to André Silva. The forward then set up Froholdt for the shot that ended in a goal.

The midfielder also stood out for the quality of his passing. Rosario completed 35 of the 36 passes he attempted in the clássico, 16 of them into the final third, reaching an accuracy rate of 94%. These are indicators that reinforce the Dominican’s importance in Porto’s ball circulation and attacking dynamics.

After the first competitive spell of 2026/27, Pablo Rosario is Farioli’s fourth most-used player. Only Kiwior, Diogo Costa and Pepê have played more minutes. With the Champions League entering the schedule from October onwards, it is expected that the Italian coach will make broader use of the squad. For now, however, Rosario has avoided rotation and left Alan Varela with a less prominent role.

The Argentine has managed only 199 minutes so far this season, a tally below what he recorded in previous campaigns. Staying at the CTFD Jorge Costa during the FIFA dates, unlike Rosario, could allow him to recover energy for the challenges ahead. Farioli has also already shown that he can use both defensive midfielders at the same time, as happened against Manchester City in the first Champions League matchday. In that game, Varela took on a more positional role, while Rosario played further forward. The Dominican’s growing importance in the FC Porto team is, however, clear.

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