13 matches, no rest: Bednarek a key figure in Farioli’s FC Porto | OneFootball

The signing of Jan Bednarek, a 29-year-old center-back with eight seasons in the Premier League—mainly with Southampton, with a brief stint at Aston Villa—was the key piece in building a defensive structure that provided security to the entire team.

The Polish international filled the spot left by Pepe, who decided to end his career, bringing the leadership that had been missing at the back for the Dragons; therefore, his signing proved to be essential. The experienced center-back acts as the coach’s extension on the field and as a captain without the armband, explaining why Francesco Farioli insists on keeping him in the starting eleven in all competitions.

Bednarek has started all 13 matches for the Dragons, spanning the league, Europa League, and Portuguese Cup, having only been substituted against V. Guimarães (he was carrying a knock), Casa Pia (on a yellow card), and Red Star (rested). He also hasn’t had any rest in official matches for his national team, starting in all three World Cup qualifiers—only missing out on the friendly against New Zealand.

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