FC Porto secured their 20th league victory against Rio Ave (1-0), and Francesco Farioli was satisfied with “a positive result” that was short: “We wanted to close out the game early and tried to do so until the last minute, but more than creating chances, you have to convert them.” “We got the three points and we move on,” said the coach, “already with our minds on Friday's game” and focused “on the last third of the championship, where every game will be especially important.”

It was a shame it was so close
“We attacked well. Three of our shots hit the post, but we created many opportunities and several plays that could have led to a better result. We got the three points and we move on.”

A fair victory
“It would have been good if we had scored the second goal earlier so that we could have managed the game more calmly and closed it out sooner, in order to avoid Alberto's yellow card and Bednarek's possible injury, which came about in a crazy play. It's part of the game. We played well, we got three important points, and now we have to move on.”

Focus on FC Arouca
“We wanted to close out the game early and tried to do so until the last minute. It's too risky to leave the game unresolved until the end, even in games where we're not conceding chances. In our last home game, we didn't concede anything, and then in the last minute, we conceded a penalty. That's football. Of course, we wanted to score more than one goal, but more than creating chances, you have to convert them. The performance was very good, we played at a good pace and with a lot of intensity. It was a positive result. Our minds are already on Friday's game.”

The substitutions
“I brought on Seko Fofana because we needed fresh legs. Moffi came on very well, recovered three good balls, and in tomorrow's training, I want him at 100%. We're going to play a friendly, and he'll be on the field for as long as possible. That's my way of managing and trying different solutions. In European competitions, we'll need more strength in attacking positions, and I want to try Rodrigo Mora in that position too, which is something we've done a few times before. It's a solution I have in mind, and I want to evaluate it.”

Last third of the season
“We are entering the last third of the championship and every game is particularly important. We are in a race against opponents who are trying to have a better season than last year. Everything is still open. The same goes for the Cup and the Europa League. The next few months will be very demanding because we will have to give our best every two days. The team is ready and has been doing a good job. We will continue to prepare the team for the upcoming games without thinking too far ahead.”

Refereeing
“The two situations in which I spoke to the referee did not arise because of any controversy. Today's game had good momentum. I have nothing to say about today's refereeing.”

Varela's fifth yellow card
“We are not thinking about the game at Luz. We take it game by game. It was a yellow card, he'll miss Friday's game, and that's it.”

Samu's successor
“Deniz Gül played 70 minutes at an excellent level. His goal was disallowed by a few centimetres, but he had a very positive game. After that, I tried to bring freshness with Fofana and returned Rodrigo Mora to his position. These are solutions to try out. Moffi only played 10 minutes, but he had a big impact. I tried to save him for tomorrow morning. We have to get him back so he can play more minutes.”

Close to family 
“The fans were expecting a quicker progression. Everyone wants to see the team take the lead very quickly, but sometimes we have to make a few extra passes. The fans really enjoyed the game. The stadium was buzzing with some of our chances. It was a well-played game and the fans were fantastic.”

Blue and white efficiency
“It would have been great to have closed the game earlier, even to save some players and be able to make other decisions on substitutions. The good thing is that we created a lot.”

Pablo Rosario
“There is a certain hierarchy in my decisions. Pablo Rosario hadn't played for three weeks and I wanted him back for several reasons. Without Martim Fernandes, he can help us as a centre back. Alan Varela was at risk of being left out and I wanted to bring him back.”

Dominik Prpić
“He's a young player who has known his role since he arrived. He has already helped us a lot in the first half of the championship. He played in the Europa League and in the championship. He trains very well, and today I thought several times about putting him in, but the dynamics of the game took me in another direction. He is a young player, he will have time to show his talent, and he will have a role at FC Porto, as he already does through his contribution in training. We are happy to have a player of this level and with this attitude and mentality.”

Monday there is a friendly against FC Vizela
“The fact that they changed their defensive lines and even their midfield pressure, as well as the position of their defensive midfielder, opened up other possibilities and scenarios, and the players knew how to adapt. Alberto Costa and Zaidu's contribution with the ball was very positive, they had good moments carrying the ball, defended well, and had a good impact. The performance was very good, I'm talking about the fullbacks, but I could talk about anyone. We have this important result and we are now focusing on the game against FC Arouca. Preparation starts tomorrow with a friendly that will help us keep the squad at a certain level and give all the players some playing time. We have a lot of games ahead of us and we need everyone in top form to tackle the coming months.”