FC Porto are more of the same, and that’s no bad thing | OneFootball

It would not be surprising to see FC Porto line up for a decisive match this season exactly as they did against Aston Villa. At the Estádio do Dragão, the presentation match served to confirm one idea: the Dragons did not want to adopt an artificial identity just to follow the trend that calls for total transformation during friendlies. That confidence is only possible when there is a strong identity, one they believe in so deeply that there is no need to resort to major changes.

While some teams use pre-season to showcase different solutions, FC Porto stays its course. Watching the blue and whites, there is a sense of reconnecting with a familiar team — and that, naturally, is not a problem. High pressing and set pieces remain clear trademarks of the national champions. The results achieved through persistence with those tools make it hard to see reinvention as a priority.

FC Porto also found a striker suited to the characteristics of its approach. Aston Villa took a risk by trying to build from the back, but ended up exposing themselves to the pressure of André Silva, the standout signing and the only debutant in the starting eleven. The forward’s intensity even led him to make sliding tackles inside the penalty area and allowed him to win the ball back in very advanced areas.

That constant presence in the final third increased the frequency of situations that suit Porto. After a long throw from Zaidu, the concentration of players in the penalty area created the conditions for William Gomes (5′) to receive the ball and open the scoring. The Dragons again took advantage of a rehearsed set-piece routine from a free kick, with all the players lined up in a way that showed the importance attached to that type of play. Pepê (41′) put FC Porto back in front in response to Luka Lynch’s goal (12′), which came after two ineffective attempts by Zaidu to clear the ball.

The second half offered little of interest. The use of Cláudio Ramos, which may be a sign of a possible starting role in the Super Cup, did not amount to a significant test, given how little he was required to do. The Italian coach also managed the substitutions cautiously, without bringing on youngsters looking to earn a place in the first-team squad. Even so, there was time for Nehuén Pérez, limited by a serious injury last season, and for Hwang In-beom’s debut. In a penetrating run, the South Korean showed technique and intent as he looked to pick out Borja Sainz.

The Super Cup is approaching, and FC Porto does not seem to have any reason to worry about the challenge for the season’s first trophy against Torreense. The Dragons will show up with a game plan they know inside out and that does not require much rehearsal.

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