Porto focus on qualification, four players on disciplinary tightrope | OneFootball

The sole objective of FC Porto in the second leg of the Europa League round of 16 against Stuttgart is collective and involves qualifying for the next stage. However, on an individual level, there is a detail that could become relevant if the team reaches the quarter-finals: Alberto Costa, Bednarek, Prpić, and WilliamGomes are at risk of suspension.

Although the young Croatian center-back Prpić is currently a secondary option for Francesco Farioli, the other three players are part of the Italian coach's core group. Defenders Alberto Costa and Bednarek have been regular choices both in the league and in the Europa League, while Brazilian winger WilliamGomes has frequently been a starter, especially in UEFA competitions.

If the blue and whites confirm their qualification for the Europa League quarter-finals, they will face Nottingham Forest (England) or Midtjylland (Denmark) in matches scheduled for April 8 or 9 and 15 or 16 of the same month. In a scenario of continued European competition and with the national title in play, Francesco Farioli is expected to maintain his policy of physical management of the squad between competitions, a strategy for which options are valuable. In this competitive cycle, FC Porto will have matches against Famalicão (home), Estoril (away), and Tondela (home) for the Primeira Liga.

So far, FC Porto has not had any player excluded from a European match for disciplinary reasons; only Lino Godinho and Henrique Monteiro have served suspensions. The situation may change soon, but if the team manages an even more productive campaign and reaches the semi-finals, the disciplinary records will be cleared.

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