Farioli talks about pressure and challenges before the duel with Estoril.

In a crucial moment of the season, as FC Porto prepares for a decisive clash against Estoril at Amoreira, coach Francesco Farioli breaks his silence and delivers a direct message, without mincing words, about the pressure facing the league leaders. With a firm stance, the Italian manager dismisses speculation and the “narratives” that, according to him, only serve to sell newspapers, focusing his team on what truly matters: the present.

Farioli begins by acknowledging the quality of the opponent: “We are going to face a team that has had a very positive season. They play very attacking football and their matches usually have a lot of goals. They have one of the best attacks in the league, so it is undoubtedly a complicated game. On our part, we need to enter the pitch with the right spirit and in our best form.”

When questioned about the reduction of the points advantage over their pursuers, the coach remains unfazed and reveals that FC Porto is already accustomed to this pressure: “It has happened 25 or 26 times that we are the last to take the field. It is a scenario we know very well, and that is why, for us, the priority has always been — and must continue to be — total focus on our game, putting all our energies into that.”

Regarding the possibility of a setback in Estoril jeopardizing Porto’s ambitions, Farioli remains calm and criticizes the construction of alarmist “narratives”: “All games have a clear weight and importance. This game is decisively important, but there is a focus on the consequences, whether they are positive or negative. The reality is that what matters, and the approach we have always had and need to maintain in these remaining 45 days until the end of the season, is to be absolutely connected to every moment and every ball. Putting our energies into ‘what if…’ does not give us any advantage. Of course, from the outside, there is an attempt to build a narrative about possible consequences. It has happened before that they said if we won game X, we would be champions, or they say today that if tomorrow’s game goes badly, everything will collapse… That helps sell newspapers, and I respect your work, but on our side, what we have to do is take it ball by ball, play by play, and be absolutely connected to what is happening here and now.”

Farioli does not forget the recent failure in offensive effectiveness, especially after the defeat to Nottingham: “This is an area where we clearly need to improve. We talked about it after the game against Nottingham and, upon reviewing the match, it became even more evident. We are always here talking about facts, such as the absences of De Jong and Samu, but I believe the team has always tried to respond collectively. He mentioned William, who will not be able to play against Estoril. He has been one of the players who has stepped up the most recently in terms of goals. We are having a very good impact from the midfielders and now it is time for everyone to step up to compensate for these absences up front and increase the conversion rate, which would already be a huge step forward.”

The youth of the Porto squad raises doubts about the team’s emotional capacity to withstand the pressure of the final stretch, but Farioli remains confident: “In fact, I think we have a good mix of young and experienced players. We have all the elements to have, on one hand, the experience and calmness needed to enter this final phase of the season in three competitions; and, on the other hand, we have the young players with the energy and vitality that age brings. We have the ideal characteristics to finish the season in the right way. This comes through unity and this family spirit, which has allowed us to overcome the many difficulties we have faced since the beginning. This season has been full of difficult moments and the team’s response has always been positive when it was necessary to deliver on the pitch. We know who we are playing for and we have many people in mind whom we want to give what they deserve. Therefore, motivation and spirit are our weapons in this decisive stretch.”

The FC Porto coach makes it clear that the focus is relentless and that the team’s future depends on the ability to maintain concentration in the present and not to be swayed by stories crafted to shock and sell. The message is unequivocal: the course of the championship will be decided game by game, ball by ball, with the dragons ready to fight until the last second.

This article first appeared on Apito Final.