Farioli keeps Porto fighting on all fronts with skill | OneFootball

FC Porto is going through one of the most demanding phases of the season in terms of matches, but this is not translating into any evident fatigue among Francesco Farioli’s players, who has managed the squad in exemplary fashion in recent games.

After a sequence of intense fixtures in March – with two Clássicos, European challenges, and a match against Sporting de Braga, among others, all counting towards the Primeira Liga – the Italian coach chose to trust the entire squad and carried out an almost complete and highly effective rotation in the blue and white starting eleven.

However, not everything was ‘rosy’, as there were two disappointing results: the defeat to Sporting in the first leg of the Portuguese Cup semi-finals and the draw against Benfica in the league.

Even so, with a more congested schedule than their main rivals – Benfica is free from European football and the Portuguese Cup, and Sporting, despite being in the Champions League, saw their game against Tondela postponed – the team led by Francesco Farioli shows that intensity is the best remedy to keep the team healthy and committed.

Cases like Zaidu’s illustrate this approach: previously seen by some as a temporary squad member, he has now established himself as the owner of Porto’s left-back position, surpassing Francisco Moura in the team’s rotation.

The last two matches were a clear example of Farioli’s management: from the game against Benfica at Estádio da Luz to the trip to Stuttgart for the first leg of the Europa League round of 16, the Italian made eight changes to the starting eleven; and from the match in Germany to the home game against Moreirense, he once again changed eight pieces of the ‘puzzle’.

Another change in FC Porto’s lineup is expected for the home game against Stuttgart, with the aim of fielding the strongest eleven for a crucial knockout tie for the team’s ambitions in the competitions they are participating in.

Despite the successive rotations, FC Porto remains at the top of the Primeira Liga and continues to fight for a place in Jamor, with only a one-goal deficit against Sporting in the Portuguese Cup semi-finals. Francesco Farioli’s team is also still in the Europa League, with a 2-1 advantage from the first leg, which they will have to defend this Thursday at Estádio do Dragão – a match you can follow live with the .

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