Samu launches bid for the throne | OneFootball

The Portuguese popular wisdom says that "from Spain, neither good wind, nor good marriage", but Samu has been contradicting this proverb. With just over a year at FC Porto, the Spanish international has already scored 31 goals with the blue and white jersey - achieved in the 50th game - numbers that bring him closer to the status of best Spanish scorer in the history of the 'portistas' and that set him the challenge of Thursday's match, against Salzburg, in Austria.

In the victory over Rio Ave, Samu made the 2-0 for the 'dragões' and, with that goal, equalled Iván Marcano in the second place of the club's best Spanish scorers list. He is now one goal away from leveling Toni Martínez (32) and two from surpassing him - a feat possible already in the first round of the Europa League, this Thursday.

As for the current season, despite the absence in the game with Casa Pia due to an injury suffered in Barcelos, Samu leads the squad's scorers list, with four goals, curiously the same number he achieved in the first five rounds of the championship in the previous season.

In the total of the 2024/25 season, the forward, the most expensive in the history of FC Porto - acquired for 32 million euros - accounted for 27 goals and three assists. These records have attracted the interest of major European clubs. The permanence of Samu was a triumph of the board, allowing Francesco Farioli to continue to count on his goals.

The coach appreciates even more now with Luuk de Jong out of action; Deniz Gül competes with Samu for the starting position in the 'portista' attack.

At just 21 years old, the Spaniard has shown a remarkable scoring vein and aims for achievable individual goals, never allowing them to overshadow collective interests. Nevertheless, he is marking an era that has left the fans satisfied.

Already eyeing the podium in the Europa League

Six of the 31 goals of Samu with the FC Porto jersey were achieved in the last edition of the Europa League. In the blue and white history, only four players scored more in this competition (former UEFA Cup): at the top is Radamel Falcao with 17 goals, all in the 2010/11 campaign, when FC Porto of Villas-Boas won the trophy in Dublin. They are followed by Derlei (11), Cubillas and Miglietti (both with seven). Thus, Samu needs just one more goal to enter this specific podium.

Outcry and apology

In the defeat in Rome, in the playoff for access to the Europa League round of 16 - already with Martín Anselmi as the technical director - the 'dragões' were eliminated after losing 3-2, after the 1-1 at Dragão. In Italy, Samu stood out again by scoring a beautiful bicycle kick goal. This episode did not diminish his ambition to win; at the end of the match he showed anger and fired criticism in several directions: "I think we entered the game well, until scoring the goal. But then we can't disconnect like this, we have to be more mature and the game was gone in 5 minutes. Then, with the expulsion (of Eustáquio), what do you want me to say? We seem like 10-year-old boys", lamented the forward, before apologizing on social media: "I spoke in the heat of the moment and it was not my intention to criticize any teammate." The issue was resolved and Samu now wants to shine again in the European competition.

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