Francesco Farioli admitted this Monday, March 2, that FC Porto knows Sporting well and assumed that this Tuesday’s match in Alvalade, counting for the first leg of the Portuguese Cup semi-finals, will be “different” from the game a month ago at Dragão (1-1) counting for the I League.
“We like to think about each competition individually. There will be changes compared to the last game, because they started to press man-to-man in the last few meetings. I think Sporting will be aggressive, they have been doing very well, with good work from Rui Borges, with just one defeat, against FC Porto, in 52 games in the Cup and the I League”, highlighted the Italian coach.
In this sense, he considers that it will be “a very tactical and tight game”. “I can’t imagine Sporting waiting in their half of the field like they did at Dragão. I think they know what to expect from us and in that aspect we are predictable, we will always press on”he warned, leaving a guarantee: “We will go after them, but with humility. We will have to adapt, with possible surprises in relation to players and their characteristics.”
This game in Alvalade fits, according to Farioli, into a “complicated cycle of six games in three competitions”, with “many challenges on a mental and physical level”. “We go game by game, to have just an hour to digest emotions and get back to preparing for the next game. Mental stability is the most important part, as there is no result that gives us a lot of confidence. As soon as one game is over, it’s time to move on to the others”, he explained.
Farioli guarantees that despite the extremely high level of demand that is approaching, FC Porto’s players are “very well physically”. “We are in the best moment. In 37 games, we ran more than all our opponents, so on a physical level, I’m not afraid for these next games”he said, admitting that this factor doesn’t win games, but “it’s essential for the type of game” he intends to play.
The FC Porto coach revealed that he will only be without Brazilian defender Thiago Silva, who is recovering from injury, but “will almost certainly return in the game against Benfica”, scheduled for next Sunday, in Luz, counting for the I Liga. In contrast, “Martim Fernandes is back” in the options.
In addition to Nehuén Pérez, Samu and Luuk de Jong, who are recovering from serious injuries, winger Borja Sainz remains out, who only trained this Monday after being in Spain due to the death of his mother and who is now doing “a specific recovery program”. “Of course this moment is not good, very complicated emotionally, but he is back and will be loved by everyone. He will work hard to get ready and is motivated to do so. He was available to travel with the team, but I prefer him to stay at home, back to his routine, to calmly return to work”, he detailed.
Farioli was also asked about the controversial penalty against Fofana, which gave FC Porto an advantage against Arouca in the final moments of the match in the 24th round of the I League. “I think there is no doubt that it is a penalty. Fofana is kicking and the referee is a few meters away from the shot. At this moment there is a mix between red and green… What color does this give? This part of the game is known, we are in, we hear it, if we were to talk about everything, I would give a conference”, he said.
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