More than just minutes: Rodrigo Mora shows his commitment to the Dragons | OneFootball

The arrival of Francesco Farioli at FC Porto changed the trajectory of Rodrigo Mora. Previously a near-certain presence in the starting eleven, he now has fewer minutes due to this season's tactical shift, often taking the substitute spot for Gabri Veiga whenever he is available.

Both have played five games, but the way the Portuguese player has been used tends to favor coming off the bench to refresh the Spanish player when his performance drops – resulting in almost double the minutes: less than 200 for Mora and more than 300 for the former Al Ahli player.

In the sixth-round match, where FC Porto defeated Rio Ave 3-0, the scenario did not favor the 18-year-old: Gabri Veiga returned to the starting eleven after two games and delivered his best performance since joining the Invicta club, scoring a goal and providing two assists before making way for Rodrigo Mora.

The main challenge for both lies in their similar profiles and positions on the field, which limits Farioli's alternatives within his intense 4x3x3 formation – only one of the two can be chosen at a time, making it difficult for them to coexist on the pitch.

Renewal gives positive indicators for the future

The investment in renewing the young player's contract right after he turned 18, decided by the board led by André Villas-Boas, provides clues about the club's project for this gem from Olival.

The 70 million euro clause reflects the confidence in Rodrigo Mora's potential, who extended his contract until June 2030 with the ambition of winning more titles with the blues and whites.

“This renewal means a lot to me, I am very happy. I just turned 18 and I think it was my best gift. It is a huge pride to be able to continue at this club, and it is a feeling of pride for me and my family. I have to thank the Board, who believed in me, all my teammates, and my entire family for helping me get here,” he said at the signing of the new contract.

“This won't end here. I hope to bring many more joys to the club and the fans. I will continue to be the same person and the same player and give my all for this club. I joined FC Porto very early, at nine years old, and I wanted to continue progressing in my career to reach the A team, where I am now. I am very happy to continue here for many years,” he added.

With the blues and whites, Rodrigo Mora has already played 40 games, marking his presence with 11 goals and four assists in all competitions over the last two seasons.

Mora has changed his attitude towards the challenge

With the transfer market closed, there seems to have been a change in attitude from the number 86 of the dragons regarding the fight for more minutes.

Previously, he reacted with a downcast demeanor when not called upon, but now there is a noticeable hunger for the game and a more team-oriented posture, expressed in the awareness that he needs to improve defensively for the benefit of the team.

“[Central midfielder] is a new position, it requires more defensive effort, something I am working on. For the team to be better, I need to give more defensively and I will always give my best. Offensively, I will continue to be the same. Defensively, a bit more withdrawn,” the young player mentioned to Canal 11, in a reflective mode.

The under-21 international has been getting more minutes from the blues and whites' coach, even though he is not a starter in most matches, with the occasions when he is due to Gabri Veiga's physical issues, as happened in the game against Sporting, in Alvalade.

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