FC Porto tied with Sporting in the 21st matchday of the championship (1-1), and Francesco Farioli highlighted the attitude of a group that “went in without fear, with a lot of intensity and positive momentum,” but “made a mistake and paid for it.” Despite the penalty awarded, the Italian coach did not hide his “pride in the spirit” of a team that “did everything to win the game” and that “remains alive in the race” for the title with a four-point lead over their rivals from Alvalade.

90 minutes summarized
“We knew it was a big game. We went in without fear against the two-time champions, with great intensity and a very positive dynamic. I am very happy with our approach, spirit, and desire to win. We conceded a penalty in the last play of the game. It was the sixth consecutive game in which Sporting scored in the last minute. We couldn't keep a clean sheet, but it was a positive game with a good attitude and atmosphere. We weren't afraid, and the character we showed on the pitch says a lot about the work we've been doing.”

The price to pay
“We made a mistake and paid for it. There are no regrets. We did what we could. The best play of the game was the one that led to our goal. The energy with which we put the ball in the net, after six or seven ball recoveries, shows what we want to do.”

One-sided classic
“The only part of the game where we struggled was in the final stretch. For 83 minutes, the game had a clear leader. Only one team did everything to win, and that was FC Porto.”

Four-point lead
“I don't like to do the math. I'm proud of the team spirit. We did everything to win the game, we were brave and tried everything. It wasn't enough to beat a good team, led by a good coach, but we're still in the race.”

Medical report
“I'm positive about Kiwior, he felt pain, but then it stopped. Samu complained of knee pain and I didn't want to take any risks. Martim Fernandes had pain in his foot again. We'll have to assess it. We know it's part of playing so many games, even though we do our best to manage the players' fatigue. Hopefully it's nothing.”

Turning the page
“We came out wanting to press man-to-man as usual, we played our game with the ball, created several positive chances, and played without fear. We wanted to win, and that was clear. It's never good to concede a goal in the last minute with a mistake we could have avoided, but we have to turn the page and focus on the trip to Madeira.”

Top of the table
“There are three teams in the run for the title, according to the league table. I don't know if the game was boring, I think it was well played. There was one team that tried harder to win than the other, and that team played in blue and white. I saw one team that pressed and another that was very conservative, which came in to defend and managed to do so well. On my side, there are no regrets. We did everything we could. I'm happy with the performance. We were very close to winning a very important game, but things are as they are, we got a point and we move on.”

Learning from mistakes
“We can't control the results, we can only put in good performances, and I think we had an excellent approach against the two-time champions. Of course, I could ask for more from the team, but that's part of the game, and we have to learn from our mistakes. There are no easy games, this one wasn't, and Sunday's game in Madeira won't be either.”

The blue and white family
“Our fans are fantastic at every game, whether at home or away. The connection we have with our fans is unbelievable. We are lucky, and we always try to give them reasons to keep coming and keep believing. The action that resulted in our goal shows the unity of the team, and I don't know if you believe in energy, but the power of Estádio do Dragão helped us put the ball in the net. This team represents the DNA of FC Porto, and that's why the fans always support us and help us throughout the 90 minutes. The stadium was full, and I want to thank them for the passion they show in every game.”

Final stretch
“Sporting had nothing to lose, they gave it their all, and we had to suffer, but I think the team is in good shape physically.”

Jakub Kiwior
“As you know, Kiwior came from two seasons where he didn't play that much, and this season he has already played almost twice as many minutes as last season. You have to know how to manage players. The players' history speaks volumes, and you have to respect that. He played eight or nine games in different positions, with different incentives. His situation doesn't seem serious to me because he knew when to stop in time. As for Samu, I hope it's nothing serious. He will be evaluated tomorrow, as will Martim Fernandes. The club's efforts to strengthen the team by bringing in Fofana and Moffi, as well as Oskar and Thiago at the beginning of the transfer window, were to prepare for all scenarios and help us solve some problems. Let's hope they are not serious injuries, but we will have solutions.”

Seko Fofana
“I wasn't the one who discovered him. A few years ago, he was voted the best African player in Ligue 1. He is a leader, a player who combines excellent physicality with good technical attributes. He has great numbers and will be a key player in our journey. We have many competitions and games ahead of us. He is very committed to FC Porto, like all the players. Rodrigo Mora came on to play in a different position and made an excellent contribution. All the players are mentally prepared for this.”

Substitution logic
“If you look at my statistics at other clubs, you can see that I tend to substitute attacking midfielders to refresh the game mentally and physically. It's part of my strategy, it's my way of seeing the game, and it doesn't mean that they don't have the ability to play 90 minutes, but when you have two talented players, you have to know how to manage them and give them space to shine. I've used up my substitutions in 32 of the 34 games this season because I believe you have to refresh the team and manage the game. So far, I've been successful in that management.”

Thiago Silva
“We hope to help Thiago Silva return to the national team. It's a dream he has, and he works hard to achieve it. I hope I am providing him with all the conditions he needs to prove to the national coach that he deserves it. Today I asked him to speak to the team before the game and he left almost the entire team in tears. He is always taking notes in training, he likes to talk about football, to understand more about the game, he is very generous and, for me, it is a privilege to work with a player like Thiago Silva. I hope he achieves his goals and represents Brazil at the World Cup.”

Rodrigo Mora
“I asked Rodrigo to help us in a different position, mainly because of the dynamics of the game. I wanted him on the field to give us flexibility. Rodrigo is a very intelligent player, with a great attitude and understanding of the game. We knew the quality of our opponents, we prepared for this game in a very specific way and we managed it very well for 97 minutes, but we conceded a chance in the last minute and paid dearly with two points.”