Gabriel Mec and Dominik Prpic left out of FC Porto's Champions squad | OneFootball

FC Porto announced that Gabriel Mec and Dominik Prpic have been left out of the squad list for the 2026/27 Champions League, the competition that marks the dragons’ return after two seasons away.

Gabriel Mec, signed from Grêmio and only officially announced on Wednesday, was the main omission by Francesco Farioli. The 18-year-old midfielder will now prioritize adapting to Portuguese football, in what will be his first experience in European football.

The Italian coach’s decision is linked to the squad’s composition, since List A already includes two other attacking midfielders and four wingers capable of performing roles similar to those of the Brazilian player.

As for Dominik Prpic, the Croatian centre-back has yet to feature in any official match this season, so his absence did not come as a surprise given the options available in the defensive sector.

Fourth in the pecking order for the heart of the defence, behind Bednarek, Kiwior and Nehuén Pérez, Prpic must also overcome competition from Pablo Rosario, a midfielder who was used on several occasions in that position last season.

The A List, submitted on Wednesday, could include a maximum of 17 players not trained locally, in a total of 25 registered players. For that reason, FC Porto had to leave out two foreign players from the main squad.

Martim Fernandes, on the other hand, does not appear on the list because he meets the requirements to be registered through the B List. This is intended for players trained at the club for at least two years and born on or after January 1, 2005. The number of spots is unlimited, and players can be added throughout the league phase.

Farioli is therefore maintaining his confidence in the recovery of Samu and Zaidu, both recovering from serious injuries and at risk of missing part of the eight matches the dragons will play.

FC Porto begin their 28th participation in Europe’s premier competition next Tuesday against English runners-up Manchester City at the Estádio do Dragão.

Winners of the competition in 1986/87 and 2003/04, FC Porto will compete for the first time in the new format, featuring a league phase. The top eight teams qualify directly for the round of 16, while the remaining places will be contested in the play-offs by the teams finishing between ninth and 24th. The bottom 12 clubs are automatically eliminated.

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