FC Porto set for hectic run: six matches in just 22 days | OneFootball

After recovering from the competitive break caused by national team commitments, FC Porto is preparing for a demanding period until the new league break in November. The Dragons, led by Francesco Farioli, will compete on three fronts – the Portuguese Cup, the Portuguese League, and the Europa League – in a cycle where they will be pushed to their limits, especially considering that five of the six games will be away from Estádio do Dragão, with the match against Celoricense taking place at Estádio Cidade de Barcelos, a neutral venue.

The first obstacle theoretically presents a lower degree of difficulty, given that the opponent plays in Series A of the Campeonato de Portugal.

Next is the third round of the Europa League, with a trip to Nottingham, a team in a bad phase that hasn't won since Nuno Espírito Santo left the technical command. The Porto team intends to maintain their immaculate record in the competition, after narrow victories over Salzburg and Red Star.

The return to the league is scheduled for the 27th in Moreira de Cónegos, a highly demanding challenge given the good campaign of the local team, which usually complicates the lives of the big teams at home. The following commitment will be the only one at Dragão in this cycle of six games in 22 days: hosting SC Braga, who recently managed a 1-1 draw at Alvalade.

The schedule continues on November 6 in the Netherlands, with a visit to Utrecht, an opponent that Francesco Farioli knows well, having faced them last season when he coached Ajax Amsterdam. This phase ends in Famalicão, another complex away match against a very competitive team on their turf.

Thus, FC Porto will face, between October 18 in Barcelos against Celoricense and November 9 in Famalicão, a dense period of commitments.

A careful assessment of the physical condition of FC Porto's internationals is also necessary when they return to Olival, as some may have played 180 minutes for their national teams, such as Diogo Costa and possibly Bednarek and Kiwior; in these circumstances, it is advisable to manage their efforts and avoid overloading these players in the Portuguese Cup. After the November break, FC Porto will host Nice at Estádio do Dragão, an opponent previously coached by Francesco Farioli in France, where Pablo Rosario played in recent seasons.

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