FC Porto secured direct qualification to the Round of 16 of the Europa League after beating Rangers FC (3-1) at home, and Francesco Farioli praised the “fantastic reaction” of a team that “had to step up to reach an important result” for the Club and “a great achievement for Portuguese football.” “We have done extraordinary things, but we are still halfway through the marathon and we have two great opponents,” recalled the Italian coach, pointing the focus to “the championship and the game against Casa Pia” (Monday, 20h45). 

Happy night
“Our reaction was fantastic. We did well in the first few minutes, then we conceded and had to accelerate to achieve this important result. It was a great night for Portuguese football. Just a few days ago, I read that the Portuguese League was not competitive enough, but Portuguese teams proved the opposite, both yesterday and today. Yesterday, Benfica and Sporting proved their level, today SC Braga did a good job and so did we. It was an important result for FC Porto and a great achievement for Portuguese football, which could influence Portugal's UEFA ranking.”

The national product is good
“It’s all a matter of perception and, often, ignorance. Sometimes we undervalue what is done here. We think the games are easy, but they are not. We have done extraordinary things thanks to everyone’s hard work, but we are still halfway through the marathon and we have two big opponents. There is a lot to do, we have to switch gears for the championship and for the game against Casa Pia.”

The changes
“I took Alberto Costa off to manage the bookings. Victor Froholdt complained of some discomfort in his legs, and I decided to be cautious. Samu has been playing a lot of minutes, and I wanted to give Deniz Gül the opportunity to come on with energy and physicality. I'm happy with everyone's performance and the support of the fans. It was an important victory.”

Europa League campaign
“It’s not about being favourites. We are a long way from Istanbul and the idea of even getting there, because there is a lot to do before then. We are focused on the league and, later, we will think about the Europa League again. Now we have the game against Casa Pia and we have to recharge our batteries to be ready.”

Portuguese football
“People think that the games are easy and that everything is handed to us on a plate, but the reality is very different. In the league, we will be competing against two big rivals who qualified for the knockout stages of the Champions League and another opponent who qualified directly for the Round of 16 of the Europa League. This says a lot about the level of the Portuguese League and proves that we are doing something special.”

Fresh legs
“The players are in very good physical shape, but playing every three days makes it difficult to maintain the same rhythm psychologically. The way we play is very demanding, because of the way we approach the game and the aggressiveness we try to impose. We are always in the opponent's area, we never let our opponents get close, but teams don't always want to play. There are moments when we feel that the intensity is lower, but that's not true. There is a lot to improve, and since we managed to avoid the playoffs, we will have full weeks to work and fill up the tank.”

Halfway there
“We are halfway through the season and there are still many games ahead. The competition is very high. Every weekend we face difficulties on different pitches. Stopping FC Porto counts double, so our opponents play against us as if they were playing in the Champions League final. This is very demanding physically and mentally. We have to stay calm and be precise.”

At the opposite end of the spectrum
“One thing must be very clear: we are the team furthest away from Istanbul. If we have the ambition to get there, there are many challenges ahead. We will focus on the league and then take it step by step in European competitions.”

Alternatives for the midfield
“All scenarios are possible. We have Eustáquio, who can also be an alternative to give Victor Froholdt a breather, because although he is very intense, we need to manage his effort. We will take it game by game and try to make the best decisions.”

Tactical adjustments
“Rangers FC presented a different tactic. They were more aggressive in the build-up and played with five defenders, four midfielders, and a very advanced striker to exploit the counterattack. I think we managed it well because we had several positive situations when they pressed high, one of which led to Mora's goal. We had good chances, we attacked well against a low block. Francisco Moura's goal is a good example. This ability to play different types of games within the same game shows a lot of maturity, and I'm happy about that.”