FC Porto beat Estoril away (3-1), and Francesco Farioli praised “the pace, the determination and the spirit” of a team that showed “a very positive approach” and played “a very mature game, with a strong sense of identity”. In the aftermath of “a deserved victory”, the Italian manager noted that “winning is always important” and turned his focus to the trip to Nottingham (Thursday, 20h00): “FC Porto is the most important thing for everyone. We have an important match in England, against a very strong opponent, and I’ll need all the players to be on their game once again”. 

90 minutes in summary
“It was a very mature game, especially during the first 40 minutes. We had plenty of good moments on the ball and I think it was a game where the result could have been even better. We scored three goals, but we could have scored at least two more. We have to keep improving, because if we can seal the game earlier, it’s better for everyone.”

Key to success
“The pace, the determination and the spirit to play at a certain level. It was a very mature game, played with a strong sense of identity. It was a very positive approach and the result could have been even better against an opponent who have been high in the table since the start of the season and who score a lot of goals. It’s a deserved victory.”

20th goal from a corner
“It’s a very important part of the game. So much happens over the 90 minutes, with and without the ball, during transitions or from set pieces, so every moment has special significance. We try to give the right attention to every aspect of the game. The most important thing is always the players’ performance, and that’s why we’ve managed to score so many goals from set pieces.”

Seven changes to the starting eleven
“If we look at the trend over the last seven or eight games, it’s clear that I have a lot of confidence in my players. If I asked someone else to pick the starting eleven, I’m sure they’d find it very difficult too, because everyone deserves to play. Everyone accepts their role in the game, whether they’re in the starting line-up, come on as a substitute or are left out. FC Porto is the most important thing for everyone. We’re very united and we have to keep it that way. On Thursday we’ve got an important match in England, against a very strong opponent, and I’ll need everyone to be there once again.”

Back to winning
“It’s always important to win. Last weekend we were a bit unlucky with the last play of the game, but we weren’t at our best either. On Thursday we showed a different attitude, we created plenty of chances, but that’s in the past. Tonight’s result was very important and our focus is on the match against Nottingham. We want to prepare well for the game and arrive in England in the best possible form.”

The goal conceded
“We weren’t able to keep a clean sheet, so there are areas we need to improve on.”

The final stretch of the season
“We can’t look that far ahead. On Thursday we have an important match in England, which will demand a lot from us if we’re to progress, which is our goal. Every match is important. We’re at a stage of the season where the schedule is getting tight, and we have to take it one day at a time, approach every ball with the right attitude, as we did today, because that’s the only way to keep our rhythm without distractions. Everything going on around us mustn’t take our focus away from what matters, and what matters most is the present and every moment we experience on the pitch.”

Victor Froholdt
“He’s a very good player. His progress has been fantastic. He arrived here as a young player with a lot of potential and settled into the team’s dynamics very quickly. He has a top-class attitude and profile, he tries to give his best in every aspect of the game, on and off the pitch, and pays close attention to the small details. What he has done and what he has given to the team has exceeded all our expectations, which were already high, because otherwise we wouldn’t have invested 20 million in a 19-year-old player. What he has done and the way he has adapted is remarkable and will be key to the rest of his career.”

Three fronts
“I stand by my position. Every match is important and we’re focused solely on the next one. When you’re involved in three competitions, you can’t look that far ahead.”

The refereeing
“The positive results we’ve had since the start of the season are masking certain issues. The footage from the weekend, not just from this match, is very clear. It’s an old, well-known story.”

Ian Cathro’s words
“I’m grateful for Ian’s words about our team. We’re working to improve. If we look at the last two games, we could have scored more goals against two very strong opponents in two different competitions. We’re on the right track. It’s never good to compare ourselves with teams that have written important chapters in history. We’re just at the start. We began our process only ten months ago, and we’re in a rebuilding phase. If we’re where we are, it’s because we’ve managed to speed up the process, and that’s down to the players’ hard work, the focus they’ve shown in everything they’ve done since 15 July, and the club’s investment over the last two transfer windows. We’re happy to be here, but what counts is the immediate future, which will require us to take three important steps in three different competitions. One step at a time. The focus now is on Nottingham Forest.”

Match preparation
“We prepared for the match based on our recent performances and Estoril’s last few games, as we usually do. We have an analysis department that is doing a great job of providing us with the best footage so that we can prepare for the match in the best possible way. Taking into account everything we’ve seen and the scenarios we’ve anticipated, we’ve tried to find the best solution. It’s never easy, because we always have little time to prepare for matches. What the players have done to switch gears and prepare for such different matches in just a few hours speaks volumes about their level of dedication.”