“FC Porto handle adversity, and that’s why they’re clear leaders” | OneFootball

After the ‘lion-hearted’ triumph in the first leg (1-0), on March 3, at the José Alvalade Stadium in Lisbon, the two clubs will meet again at the ‘dragons’’ home ground in a battle for a place in the Jamor final.

“I believe the game will be decided by small details and that the atmosphere may be somewhat influenced by the teasing, by what I call the ‘folklore’ surrounding the match. Even during the game, there may be players who get distracted and place more value on that kind of action. They are the two best teams in the league and they have the chance to show it. For me, as someone who loves the game, I would like to see two teams wanting to win, each with their own particular traits,” the coach told Lusa. He won the last ‘blue and white’ back-to-back league titles as Vítor Pereira’s assistant between 2011 and 2013.

Speaking to the Desporto ao Minuto portal, Rui Quinta looked ahead to tomorrow’s clássico. For the coach, Francesco Farioli’s squad management has been “fantastic”, rejecting the idea that the usual rotation in the starting line-up means the competitions are being undervalued.

“Even during the period when FC Porto were playing in the Europa League, it never seemed to me that there was any sign a competition did not matter because this or that player was selected. FC Porto have always shown intent and, on Wednesday, they will certainly fight for a comeback,” he said.

The coach also highlighted the club’s transformation this season compared to the previous one, pointing to a strengthened team that gained “stability” and was “safeguarded in January for various eventualities.”

“FC Porto are coming off a very frustrating season for the new board. They had two coaches and things did not go as expected. Also for the players, I believe few were able to enhance their value during that period. This year’s team was very well put together,” he assessed.

At the decisive stage of the season, Rui Quinta stressed the ‘dragons’’ ability to respond to adversity, compared to a Benfica side that “made a fantastic investment” and a Sporting team that “is aiming for a third consecutive league title.”

“We live in a country of opinions. Everyone has an opinion and likes to show off their wisdom, often without ever having played or coached. Once people start talking about something, everyone jumps on the bandwagon. Things are simple: FC Porto deal with the adversity imposed by their opponents and that is why they are clear leaders,” he concluded, pushing back against negative opinions about Farioli’s style of play.

The match between FC Porto and Sporting, the second leg of the Portuguese Cup semi-finals, is scheduled for 8:45 p.m. on Wednesday at the Estádio do Dragão in Porto.

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