31-year-old midfielder misses Porto v Benfica | OneFootball

Francesco Farioli confirmed a last-minute absentee for the Clássico between Porto and Benfica. Speaking at the pre-match press conference, the Porto manager revealed that Seko Fofana will not be available for the seventh round Liga Portugal clash, scheduled for this Sunday at 8:30pm at the Estádio do Dragão.

"Nehuén Pérez and Fofana had problems during the week. Everyone else is fit," the Italian coach said, thus confirming the absence of the 31-year-old midfielder against the Eagles. Fofana joins Enzo Barrenechea on the list of absentees.

On Benfica’s side, Barrenechea suffered a sprain to his left knee that resulted in a "tear of the medial meniscus." The Lisbon club confirmed this Saturday that the Argentine midfielder will undergo surgery in the coming days.

Fofana’s absence is a setback for Francesco Farioli ahead of a match that the Porto manager considers important, although he believes it is still too early to talk about title-deciding moments: "It is an important game, for sure. It is very early in the season to talk about decisions, but it is an important game, also because of what it means for the city, the club and the fans," said the Italian coach.

Porto therefore host Benfica in a hugely important clash in the battle for the top spots, but with both teams forced to deal with last-minute absences before kick-off. The Dragons are top of the league with 18 points, two more than Glorioso, who are second with 16.

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