Kiwior only just arrived, but he's already nailed down his spot | OneFootball

Jakub Kiwior had only four days of preparation before his debut for FC Porto, with Francesco Farioli immediately putting him in the starting eleven against Nacional, alongside his compatriot Jan Bednarek. The defender, on loan from Arsenal, responded well against a bold opponent who made life difficult for Porto, proving to be a reliable presence.

With a calm attitude throughout the match, Kiwior won all five duels he contested, recorded one interception and two clearances, all without committing a single foul.

The defender moved to Arsenal from Spezia in January 2023 and played 68 matches for the London club (45 as a starter). He became a regular presence, though not indispensable, sometimes playing as a left-back instead of a center-back due to strong competition from Gabriel Magalhães and Saliba.

Training under Mikel Arteta also requires attention to building play from the back, a philosophy Farioli shares. “For the center-back position we demand a lot of things,” said the coach after FC Porto’s last match, where Kiwior stood out for his short passing (88 accurate out of 92 attempts) and long passing (three accurate out of four). Farioli already knew him well before bringing him to Dragão.

“He is a player who, at Spezia, played as a defensive midfielder. His main position is center-back,” he said on September 12, highlighting Kiwior’s versatility, who in Invicta may more clearly assume the role of center-back.

Nehuén Pérez’s injury is alarming, both for the player himself—who faces a lengthy recovery—and for the team, which already knows it will be without the Argentine, at least until near the end of the season.

This context, however, could pave the way for Kiwior to establish himself as the new leader of FC Porto’s defense, occupying the left-sided center-back position, with compatriot Jan Bednarek on the right. In this scenario, Dominik Prpic emerges as an alternative for the left center-back spot.

Pérez’s misfortune ended up partially overshadowing Kiwior’s performance against Nacional, given the seriousness of the Achilles tendon rupture. Even so, in that match, the Pole proved he is ready to take on a more prominent role, precisely as FC Porto approaches a crucial phase of the season.

Next week, the team makes its debut in the Europa League and enters a cycle that culminates with hosting Benfica in the 8th round of the league, before the break for international commitments. Kiwior promises to be a regular presence in these upcoming challenges.

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