Francesco Farioli's Demands Ahead of O Classico

At the Estadio do Dragao, on the eve of an O Classico loaded with consequence, Francesco Farioli drew a hard line.

With sole leadership of the Primeira Liga on the line before the international break, the FC Porto head coach made it clear: forget the noise, forget the drama. Everything, he insisted, comes back to performance.

Injuries and intensity

Farioli confirmed that Fofana and Nehuen Perez, both absent from training during the week due to physical problems, will not be available for Sunday’s clash with Benfica. Two important pieces missing, and no attempt to disguise it.

But he immediately shifted the focus to those who will be on the pitch – and to the stands. The Italian demanded that Dragao’s home crowd drive an aggressive, front-foot display against Porto’s fiercest rivals, a performance built on intensity rather than caution.

The message to supporters was simple: turn the stadium into a force multiplier.

This is a Netflix series

What he refused to feed was the growing storm around refereeing and media controversy.

Recent officiating decisions have dominated discussion in Portugal, but Farioli fired back at the spectacle surrounding them. He dismissed the swirl of outrage and insinuation, accusing the wider debate of turning into entertainment rather than analysis.

“Last week, I think it became very clear that this is a Netflix series that sometimes goes on Sport TV,” he said, cutting through the room. “We don’t want to feed into that. All the noise is behind us, the past is the past. We have to be focused on tomorrow’s game, and hope for a fair game.”

The demand was pointed: let the officials guarantee a fair contest and let the football decide the rest.

No interest in off-field drama

The Porto coach also pushed back hard against another popular media thread: international call-ups and snubs.

Questions about Santiago Gimenez’s inclusion for Mexico and the absence of Alberto Costa and Andre Silva from their national teams were quickly shut down. Farioli refused to let those storylines hijack the build-up to a defining league fixture.

He wants attention, he said, but not the kind that comes from controversy.

“I don’t want headlines in newspapers and on television, I want recognition for our great performances,” he insisted.

That line set the tone. Recognition, yes. But earned on the pitch, not constructed in studios.

Only Manchester City have dominated us

Farioli also rejected the idea that his Porto side leans on defensive passivity or retreats into a shell against big opponents. He pointed to his track record since arriving at the club and drew a sharp comparison.

“Since I’ve been here at FC Porto, only Manchester City have dominated the game,” he stated. “We have to be very courageous and proactive.”

It was a reminder of the standard he believes Porto have already set, and the style he expects them to uphold against Benfica: brave with the ball, aggressive without it, not waiting for the game to happen.

Tactical edge and title stakes

Beyond the rhetoric, Farioli underlined the tactical demands of facing a Benfica side whose midfield has evolved and rotates constantly. Porto, he warned, cannot afford to lose their structure for even a moment.

Maintaining organisation against that fluid middle third, he argued, is non-negotiable if Porto are to secure all three points and stride into the break as clear league leaders.

The stakes are obvious. A win would not just put Porto out in front; it would send a message that the title race runs through the Dragao.

On Sunday, the Dragons step onto their own turf with a chance to turn their coach’s hard words and high standards into something more tangible: a statement that echoes through the rest of the season.