Farioli: “Diogo Costa’s new deal is a big step forward for the club” | OneFootball

“Regarding Diogo’s contract renewal, I think it was a big step for the club and for the team as well. His renewal was celebrated with great enthusiasm by all the players. We don’t need to talk about his quality at this level, but particularly for what he has done in terms of leadership, charisma, and the way he has worn the armband is, in my opinion, unique. So, I am very happy to work with him and to have him as our team captain. We have a great relationship, we respect each other, we like each other, and we are also in sync when it comes to our ambition and our desire to be at the right level in terms of behavior. From there, we evolve through daily work, which is the most important thing.”

Alan Varela experienced a dip in performance after Pablo Rosario joined the team

“About Alan, I think he is one of the players with the most minutes on the team, so it’s normal and human that it’s harder to always maintain a high level, even though in the last game, besides the goal, his performance was very positive, on a pitch that was very difficult to play on. He started to struggle after the 60th minute, also because the pitch was heavy, but I think he has given us a lot. He is a key player for us. You mentioned competition between the two, but the truth is that they complement each other very well because Pablo can play in several positions. The two have already played together and contributed a lot to the team. It’s a long season, tomorrow’s game is an important step, so I had to make some decisions in midfield, but looking ahead I think having two players of this level in midfield is very important for us and we will try to manage that in the best possible way so that they can maintain their level and continue to progress.”

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