SAlarms are ringing at FC Porto, due to a clinical report that continues to grow in size. Chris Smalling, diagnosed with an injury to the internal collateral ligament of his right knee (suffered in the 1-0 victory over Académico de Viseu, which qualified for the ‘final four’ of the League Cup), is the most recent case and also the most worrying.
According to this Friday’s edition of the newspaper O Jogo, the blue and white clinical department opted to subject the English international to conventional treatment, in an attempt to avoid a surgical intervention, which would keep him sidelined for many months.
Still, in the best case scenario, the 36-year-old central defender’s recovery will take many weeks, so much so that everything points to him not being able to return to playing before the end of the current calendar year 2026, thus reducing Francesco Farioli’s options for the center of defense to Jan Bednarek, Jakub Kiwior, Nehuén Pérez and Dominik Prpic.
However, the ‘headaches’ don’t stop there. William Gomes continues to deal with a grade 2 sprain in his right ankle (contracted on October 10th, in the 1-2 victory over Marítimo, in the I League), and it is very unlikely that he will be fit before the break for international commitments, in the middle of next November.
Oskar Pietuszewski, on the other hand, was hampered by a muscle injury in his left thigh (in the 0-1 victory over PSV, in the Champions League), so, it seems, he will be rested, for the reception to Estoril, for the national championship, in order to be used in the clash of the million-dollar competition with Napoli, which will also take place at the Estádio do Dragão, on Wednesday.
It is also important not to forget the situation of Vasco Sousa, who has not played since December 14, 2025, when he suffered a serious fracture in the fibula of his right leg, during the heavy defeat suffered by Moreirense (the club for which he played, on loan), at the Estádio Comendador Joaquim de Almeida Freitas, against Benfica, by 0-4, and remains with no expectations of a return.
What is certain is that none of them will be available to go to the game, against Estoril, in a match counting for the tenth round of the I League, which has the starting whistle scheduled for 8:30 pm (Mainland Portugal time) on Saturday, at Estádio do Dragão, with Miguel Nogueira, from the Lisbon Football Association, as referee.
The games that will fail Smalling, William Gomes and Pietuszewski
Chris Smalling: Estoril (I League), Napoli (Champions League), Vitória SC (I League), Paredes (Portuguese Cup), Feyenoord (Champions League), Sporting (I League), Santa Clara (I League), Liverpool (Champions League), Estrela da Amadora (I League), Famalicão (I League) and Nacional (I League).
William Gomes: Estoril (I League), Napoli (Champions League) and Vitória SC (I League).
Oskar Pietuszewski: Estoril (I League).
