Martim Fernandes back in the squad, could feature in Salzburg

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Portal dos Dragões

·23 septembre 2025

Martim Fernandes back in the squad, could feature in Salzburg

After the injury suffered on August 12, during the home match against Vitória de Guimarães in the first round of the league, Martim Fernandes is getting closer to returning to action for FC Porto. The right-back suffered an injury to the external collateral ligament of his left knee, which initially raised concerns among the blue and white ranks, but tests ruled out the need for surgical intervention.

The 19-year-old player, developed at Olival, underwent a recovery period focused on a consolidation treatment led by doctor Nélson Puga. Everything went as planned, with Martim Fernandes training in a restricted regime for a few days now and showing a near-complete recovery. Therefore, it is likely that in the coming hours he will no longer appear on the medical report and, barring any setbacks, will be included in the squad list for the blue and whites’ debut in the 2025/2026 Europa League, against Salzburg.

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Pablo Rosario played as right-back against Nacional and Rio Ave, due to the unavailability of Alberto Costa, who remains under the care of the medical department. If Martim Fernandes is fully fit by the time of the Europa League match, it is possible he could be placed in the starting eleven, after missing the games against Gil Vicente, Casa Pia, Sporting, Nacional, and Rio Ave. Thus, a window of opportunity opens for the full-back, who this season renewed his contract with the Dragons until 2030, with a release clause of 80 million euros.

Meanwhile, Alberto Costa continues to work under restricted conditions, which includes specific sessions in the gym and also on the pitch, and is considered a possibility for the classic against Benfica, scheduled for the 5th, at Estádio do Dragão. The summer signing was injured on the eve of the match against Nacional, suffering a muscle tear that prevented him from contributing in the most recent games. The 21-year-old full-back cost Porto’s SAD 15 million euros – plus 1 million in bonuses subject to targets – and Juventus retained 10% of the capital gain in a potential future sale. Alberto is committed to returning as soon as possible and all indications are that the classic could mark his comeback, although he is also striving to make it happen sooner.

One thing is certain: Francesco Farioli, despite the various setbacks with injuries at this early stage of the season, has managed to improvise and the options have paid off, with Pablo Rosario’s use on the right side of defense standing out – he even scored against Rio Ave.

Francisco Moura, who was injured during the pre-season training camp in Austria, returned to Francesco Farioli’s options in time to start in the classic at Alvalade, in a memorable match for the Dragons, who defeated the two-time champions and took the lead in the league.

However, Francisco Moura’s performances have fallen short of expectations, especially in the defensive department, with difficulties in regaining speed. Zaidu, who played the entire second half as right-back against Rio Ave, has fulfilled his assigned roles and is starting to claim minutes in the starting eleven. Farioli admitted to having tested him in the number 8 position during training, but also does not rule out the presence of the number 12 in the trip to Salzburg, possibly playing as left-back – his original position. The battle for minutes on the left flank is heating up.

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