FC Porto manager Francesco Farioli admitted his side lacked aggression, particularly in the opposition box, following a 3-1 defeat to AVS at the Estádio do Desportivo das Aves. Speaking after the match, the Italian coach noted that while his team created enough chances to win, they failed to convert opportunities due to a lack of sharpness in front of goal.
“Today’s game was particular. If you look at the chances, they were probably enough to win, but in reality, football is football. We lacked a little aggression, especially inside the opponent’s area. We got there many times, with many balls crossing the line, and we couldn’t finish the play as we should. So, yes, we need to take this lesson and understand that we cannot lower our intensity even one percent; otherwise, we lose points anywhere,” Farioli said.
The defeat served a dual purpose for the Porto boss, who also viewed the match as a valuable opportunity to evaluate players for the coming season. “For me personally, it was a good chance to make some assessments for the next game and, especially, for next season,” he added. Commenting on absent key figures, Farioli highlighted their importance: “Bednarek is the best defender in the league, and Diogo Costa is, in my opinion, among the top three or five goalkeepers in the world. When you start a match without two clear aces, it’s natural that the level drops a bit. We lacked aggression and the desire to attack the goal as we should. When we connected and started attacking as we wanted, the chances became clearer. Then we scored a goal that was disallowed by just a few centimeters.”