Pedro Marques Lopes: Pinto da Costa was right, Farioli a top choice | OneFootball

FC Porto concluded the 8th round of the Liga Betclic with a goalless draw against Benfica and heads into the second international break as the isolated leader, three points ahead of Sporting and four ahead of Benfica. In eight rounds, they have accumulated seven wins and one draw.

The favorable start in the championship, complemented by two victories in the Europa League, has sparked great enthusiasm among the fans, with Francesco Farioli leading a group that combines new faces with familiar figures. Record contacted Pedro Marques Lopes, a businessman and fan of the dragons, who attended the classic at Estádio do Dragão on Sunday.

“I am not surprised by this start, but I am very pleased. In fact, I couldn't be happier with what is happening. President Pinto da Costa used to tell me that choosing the coach is vital for a team's success, and I consider that Francesco Farioli was an excellent choice,” he began by saying, emphasizing, however, that “it is still early” to make any definitive judgment beyond “being happy” with the Italian coach and the group at his disposal.

“We need to see if this intensity and physicality imposed in the game can be maintained until the last breath of the championship, that is something still in perspective. However, for now, everything is going well. The game against Benfica even left me pleased with the coach, in the sense that he understood that, at a certain point, it wasn't necessary to take so many risks,” Pedro Marques Lopes highlighted.

When analyzing the reinforcements, he praised some names: “There are two or three that seem to have been excellent signings, namely Froholdt and Kiwior,” he mentioned, pointing out the “good performance” of Borja Sainz on the field as another factor for the recent results. However, he issued a warning: “It is still very early to make any concrete judgment, and the procession is still in its early stages.”

Present at Dragão, Pedro Marques Lopes also highlighted the impact of the coach's work on the unity between the team and the stands and recalled an anecdote related to José Mourinho. “The image of struggle and the interesting group spirit being created is sensed by the fans. There are a set of signs. I even remember a story about Jorge Costa, in Mourinho's first season, I believe, who turned to the coach and said: ‘mister, we have a great spirit and we are finally united,’ or something along those lines. There, Mourinho realized there was a group ready to win everything. Today, I feel that this spirit is in the team, and it makes the stadium come alive and get used to potential ‘failures,’ like this draw with Benfica,” he mentioned.

Asked about Mourinho's arrival at Benfica, he was direct: “He was never a Porto fan, but I have a memory and know he was important at FC Porto. At the stadium, I was not one of those who booed him; he was the most victorious coach in our club in terms of trophies won, with a Champions League and a Europa League, so I will never forget,” he recalled, however, stating that he hopes Mourinho “loses all the games and is eliminated from all competitions”: “He is at the rival, my respect for him will not be lost, but at Benfica, I do not wish him luck.”

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