THE FC Porto continues to be ‘zero’, in the league phase of the Champions League, due to the defeat suffered, on Wednesday, in the trip to the Estadio de La Cartuja, against Real Betis, by 3-2, in a match in which it was losing (Abde Ezzalzouli canceled the score, in the 47th minute), turned around (to the ‘hitchhiking’ of Gabri Veiga and Samu Aghehowa) and allowed counter-turnaround (in the face of goals from Cucho Hernández and Isco).
Francisco Moura was, once again, Francesco Farioli’s starting choice, but he was unable to continue the positive indicators left last weekend at the Estádio dos Barreiros, during the 1-2 victory over Marítimo (in this case, in the eighth round of the I League), and ended up limping.
In the 74th minute, he was overtaken at speed by Antony, in the move that culminated in the equalizer, and, ten minutes later, he brought down Ángel Ortiz, causing the penalty that gave the ‘final blow’, in Seville. A scenario that leaves the left-back with an increasingly complicated life at the Estádio do Dragão.
The ‘ghosts’ are once again hovering over the 27-year-old player, who had a 2025/26 sporting season ‘to forget’, with a ‘cascade’ of individual errors, and who also didn’t exactly start well in 2026/27, given the lapse in marking that led to Dinis Pinto’s accurate shot, in the 2-1 victory against Moreirense.
Francisco Moura had one foot out of FC Porto in the past summer transfer market, when he was the target of approaches from clubs such as Fiorentina, Deportivo da Coruña, Coventry City or Olympiacos, but none of them materialized. A scenario that, however, could change in January.
Farioli gives another vote of confidence
Despite the less successful performance, on the visit to Real Betis, Francesco Farioli made a point of comforting Francisco Moura: “He is a player who comes from a demanding period, from a difficult second half of the season. In the last matches, he put in very solid performances. Now, he faced a very difficult direct opponent and carried out several positive actions”.
“As for the last two moves, I need time to analyze them in detail, but I have never been a coach who puts individual responsibility on the shoulders of a single player. That was not the case tonight, nor will it ever be in the future”, he added, in the press conference that followed the final whistle, in Seville.
A stance similar to the one he had already adopted against Moreirense: “The market was very long and it wasn’t easy to keep everyone connected. The second half of last season was a bit tough for Francisco Moura. The summer wasn’t easy for him, as it didn’t bring him clarity about the future”.
“I’m happy he stayed. Two days ago I spoke a lot with him, because I believe in him a lot. He’s a player who has many of the characteristics I look for in a defender, it’s not easy to find an athlete who has his physique, but there are things he needs to adjust”, he concluded.
Zaidu’s return threatens Moura
Francisco Moura’s place is far from assured, especially considering that Francesco Farioli has just gained a ‘reinforcement’ for the left side of FC Porto’s defense, as a result of the return of Zaidu Sanusi, who was reported to have recovered from a muscle injury in the adductor of his right leg.
Martim Fernandes is also an option for the left-handed wing, so it remains to be seen how the Italian coach will manage this position, in the match of the third round of the Champions League league phase, against PSV, which has a kick-off scheduled for 8pm (Mainland Portugal time) next Tuesday, at Estádio do Dragão.
