Ricardo Carvalho on FC Porto: “Farioli’s got real talent” | OneFootball

Ricardo Carvalho has once again spoken about FC Porto, addressing various topics related to the club. The former Porto defender highlighted the rise of André Villas-Boas to the presidency and recalled the time they worked together. “I worked with him daily for almost two years, at Shanghai SIPG and Marseille. Even then, he said he would return to FC Porto, but not as a coach. It would be as president. That was his goal, the dream of helping the club grow beyond borders. It did not surprise me that he ran for office or that he won,” he said, praising Villas-Boas's “great ability” to lead the club.

Regarding the work of Francesco Farioli, Carvalho believes that the Italian coach had an auspicious start. “After a difficult season, of transition, this start has been spectacular. The coach got off on the right foot, the team is playing well, winning and convincing. It is clear that he has a lot of quality and that the players he signed also brought another level. He is building a beautiful team,” he emphasized.

As for the acquisitions for the defense – Bednarek, Kiwior and Prpic – the former center-back recalled that football is a collective sport and that you cannot point out isolated faults. “We cannot blame only defenders or forwards. When the team does not function as a unit, everything gets complicated. But the signings were very good, both in the back and in the midfield. The team is more balanced.”

The former international believes that the title race will be more competitive this season. “FC Porto is much better, but Benfica and Sporting have also strengthened very well. SC Braga started less well and is a step behind. I think there will not be the point difference of last season, because the three big ones are very balanced,” he analyzed.

Finally, Carvalho did not hide his emotion when evoking Jorge Costa, his former teammate. “It was a shock. After returning to the National Team, we spoke more often. Jorge had a huge heart and represented the values of FC Porto like no one else. We were speaking more frequently and this loss has left me devastated. No one is prepared.”

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