Who should play number 6 for FC Porto: Alan Varela or Pablo Rosario? | OneFootball

FC Porto secured another victory in the Europa League by defeating Malmö 2-1 at Estádio do Dragão. At first, it was believed that the Swedish side would be the most accessible opponent for the Dragons, due to their poor results last season, the recent change of coach, and the lack of competition in the previous two weeks. However, Malmö’s defensive organization contradicted that perception until the two goals from the blue and whites.

For this match, Francesco Farioli chose to start Pablo Rosario as the number 6, instead of Alan Varela, who had played the full 90 minutes against Tondela. The Dominican midfielder performed well, covering the pitch both in ball circulation and defensive duties.

Without possession, Malmö lined up in a 4-3-3 that sometimes shifted to a 4-4-2, with wingers Adrian Skogmar or Sead Haksabanovic joining Salifou Soumah to disrupt FC Porto’s center-backs’ build-up and Pablo Rosario’s influence. Anticipating Porto’s usual high press, the opponent matched their intensity in the first 30 minutes and created some scares in Porto’s area, recovering the ball in dangerous zones. Early on, the Swedes put five players forward to limit Porto’s build-up. Even so, except for a riskier pass from Jakub Kiwior, Pablo Rosario responded well to the pressure, always providing a safe option.

As has been common against FC Porto, opponents tend to close the central corridor—something already seen, for example, against César Peixoto’s Gil Vicente in the 2nd round of the Primeira Liga—and Malmö was no exception to this pattern. The difference compared to previous matches, however, lay in the composure with which Pablo Rosario received the ball and the clarity of his decisions. On several occasions, he faced pressure triangles (2+1 or 1+2) without losing his composure. More than in other games, FC Porto, especially through Jan Bednarek or Jakub Kiwior—the main initiators of Porto’s play and responsible for choosing the moment to attack—took risks with vertical passes that found in Pablo Rosario a player capable of resisting, turning, linking, and accelerating the offensive maneuver.

From that base, the midfielder distributed lateral passes to Francisco Moura or Alberto Costa, who provided short support due to the full-backs’ inside runs in Francesco Farioli’s system. He combined well with Rodrigo Mora, who also performed well, initiated the runs of Samu and Victor Froholdt, and served the wingers Borja Sainz and Pepê with precise passes.

Compared to Alan Varela, Pablo Rosario shows greater security when receiving with his back to goal and managing opponent pressure. If we analyze Alan Varela’s appearances as a number 6 this season, we see that when teams started to close the central corridor and restrict his movements, the Argentine midfielder lost influence. It seems that, deliberately, the Dragons’ coach sought to spare Varela from those situations, avoiding putting him in that position so often. Last season, under Martín Anselmi, we saw a more uncomfortable Alan Varela in those circumstances; Francesco Farioli has managed this aspect with greater sensitivity. For example, in the match against Tondela, Varela shifted more frequently to the right, receiving the ball facing forward and avoiding excessive exposure to pressure. It’s a subtle tactical nuance, but one that expands FC Porto’s build-up options and increases the player’s confidence in possession.

Overall, there is a greater willingness from FC Porto’s players to play through Pablo Rosario, because they trust his ability to link play and handle pressure compared to Alan Varela. On the other hand, without the ball, Alan Varela continues to offer important advantages: he is lighter and more efficient in defensive transitions. The Dominican midfielder, meanwhile, is physically heavier and reacts more slowly in those situations, although he showed good anticipation and recovery skills against Malmö. Furthermore, the Argentine midfielder better understands when to drop between the center-backs to form Francesco Farioli’s usual back five when Porto drops deeper, or when to quickly occupy the number 6 position.

Another advantage of Pablo Rosario is his versatility. Having previously worked with the Italian coach at Nice and being well acquainted with his demands, he adapts easily to different roles. This season he has already played as a center-back, central midfielder, defensive midfielder, and even as a full-back, as in the win against Rio Ave.

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