AVB: February is crucial, unity is key for all | OneFootball

André Villas-Boas, president of FC Porto, used the editorial of the latest issue of Revista Dragões to review 2025, call for some prudence regarding the fans’ euphoria, and criticize aspects of Portuguese football. He addressed the contract renewal of Francesco Farioli, highlighting the continuity of a method, and pointed the finger at some people who continue to “poison the work of referees every weekend.” He also mentioned the club’s presence in the Europa League round of 16, the choices made in the winter transfer market, and internationalization initiatives such as the partnership with FC Cincinnati and the launch of Dragon Force Black Bulls Mozambique.

“There are places that hold stories and there are Institutions that write them every day, with work, courage, and commitment. We entered January with this awareness: the future is not predicted, it is built. And it is built with clear decisions, with the right people in the right places, and with unwavering loyalty to the values that make FC Porto what it is today: a demanding Club, with a very unique identity.

That is why the renewal of Francesco Farioli represents much more than the continuity of a coach. It represents the continuity of a method. A way of being. A work culture that fits who we are. From day one, Farioli understood that FC Porto does not live by shortcuts or ease: it lives by rigor, work, ethics, simplicity, and a healthy obsession with detail. He also understood that, here, there are no “short-term” victories – there is daily responsibility. The way he has developed the team, valued the players, worked within the structure, related to his management, and always put the Club above any ego, confirms what we see at Olival: competence, coherence, and ambition.

The results, which are never the work of one man alone, but of a collective that works well, are a reflection of this seriousness. The best ever start in our history in the league, the historic results achieved, direct entry into the Europa League round of 16, the competitive maturity with which the team has responded to demands, all of this bears the signature: of the group, the training, the method, the leadership, the commitment. And that is what we want to preserve and enhance. Renewal is believing. Renewal is giving stability to a project that aims to return FC Porto, in a sustainable way, to the natural place where it has always belonged: the place of titles.

The choice of location to announce this renewal was not by chance. Livraria Lello Porto, which celebrated 120 years of history, is one of the great institutions of our city. A heritage that spans generations, that connects culture to the pride of being from Porto, and that represents values that are also ours: respect for memory, ambition for the future, demand, connection to the community, international projection. By bringing together Livraria Lello Porto and FC Porto, we did what the Club is obliged to do: strengthen the bond between city and emblem, between Porto and FC Porto, between our local identity and our global presence.

And here too Francesco Farioli understood the essence. Because whoever leads FC Porto must understand that this Club does not live only within the four lines. It lives by symbols, by culture, by belonging. It lives by what unites us and sets us apart. And the more our coach and our team understand this dimension, the stronger we will be as a sports project, but also as an Institution.

On the competitive front, January brought us what defines great groups: the ability to suffer, to resist, to respond under pressure, and to win in difficult contexts. The away victories against Santa Clara and Vitória de Guimarães, in two demanding stadiums, were clear proofs of maturity and character. They were not “easy” games, nor could they be. They were games of determination, courage, and fighting spirit, that DNA others envy and that makes FC Porto never hide, never surrender, and never give up.

To this we added a triumph against Benfica in the Cup, which puts us in the semi-finals and opens the door to a decisive tie with Sporting CP or against AVS SAD.

In the Europa League, the journey has been marked by a huge demonstration of our DNA. Plzeň was the mirror of this path, a game of a toughness that only immense willpower could overcome. With Rangers, what started as adversity turned into a game in which the whole team showed it has the arguments to advance to the next stage with reinforced ambition.

But nothing is won yet. The road ahead remains demanding. We will continue to fight for everything, against everything and everyone: against strong opponents and in difficult contexts, against the burnt-out and entrenched narrative of some “commentators,” who are far from impartial, in media outlets that long for our downfall, even going so far as to offend the honor of the athletes of the teams facing FC Porto and dedicating hours to scrutinizing, in “loop” and with a magnifying glass, images in search of non-existent penalties against FC Porto, supported by former members of non-permanent refereeing committees of the Portuguese Football Federation who continue to poison the work of referees every weekend.

For all this, February will be a decisive month in our journey, where unity around the team and its objectives is fundamental.

It is because we are fully aware of this demand that we acted in the market, strengthening the team according to the needs identified by the coach and the structure. The arrivals of Thiago Silva, Óscar Pietuszewski, and Terem Moffi respond to a clear logic: quality, profile, character, and usefulness for the project and our ambitions. And thus, following a well-thought-out strategy, we remain attentive to what makes sense, always with the same approach: financial responsibility and sporting ambition.

This future is also built off the pitch, with the continuous internationalization of FC Porto. It was with enthusiasm that we signed the cooperation protocol with FC Cincinnati, from the MLS. A partner that represents a modern and demanding vision of football: professionalism, seriousness, quality infrastructure, the ability to develop players and, above all, a culture of sustained growth. For FC Porto, this partnership means opening doors and building bridges in a strategic market like the United States, bringing the Club closer to new audiences and consolidating our global presence.

On the African continent, Portuguese-speaking countries in particular continue to be a priority and are being looked at with great attention. Along these lines, FC Porto has strengthened its expansion on this continent with the launch of Dragon Force Black Bulls Mozambique, in partnership with Associação Black Bulls. This project, which starts immediately, will focus on exporting our training methodology and identifying local talents with the potential to be integrated into high-performance programs, consolidating Mozambique as a territory of enormous strategic relevance, after similar openings in Zimbabwe and Cape Verde.

And we will not stop here. The coming weeks may bring important news for our expansion into Asia. Because FC Porto must increasingly be a Club from Porto for the world, without ever losing its identity, without ever giving up its values, without ever forgetting where our strength comes from.

A word about our eclecticism, which is an inseparable part of FC Porto’s identity. Our women’s volleyball team has had a very positive run and we want it to continue to show all its ability to bring back a title that escaped us last season. The support of Members and Fans has been fundamental and will continue to be decisive.

In roller hockey, the change in the coaching staff brought a visible transformation: in the way of playing, in the athletes’ confidence, and in collective quality. It is gratifying to see this evolution, game after game, and to salute the group for the recent results with the ambition to maintain this growth in February and continue to fight for the title with the same intensity that has always characterized us.

In handball and basketball, the demand is total. We will do everything within our reach to achieve the results we aim for. We cannot give in on any of the fronts we are involved in and will take our commitment to victory until the end of the season.

FC Porto is this: work, identity, courage. A Club that renews itself, that wins, that grows, and that does not deviate from what is essential. Every game is an Arena. Every month is a chapter. And the next chapter is written with focus, with unity, and with the ambition we have always had.

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