Porto are perfect in the league, but the thing Farioli keeps circling before this trip to Barcelos is not attack, it is attention at the back: they have the league's best defensive record, yet he says they have conceded more than usual lately. Gil Vicente are sixth and, in his words, among the teams in best form. So I'm curious whether a Porto side that is still "uneven" physically can stay organised against a host that has been winning its games on rhythm.
Porto's side first. Per Observador, they lead with eight wins and 24 points, with only four goals conceded. Samu and Pietuszewski are still working back to their best, and William Gomes is out after the injury against Marítimo, with Vasco Sousa also missing according to A Bola and SAPO. Farioli expects the squad to look more balanced in 10 to 15 days, which is a polite way of saying it is not balanced yet. The left-back slot is also open, with Martim, Francisco, Zaidu and Souza all mentioned as options.
Gil Vicente's side. They are on 14 points in sixth, and Farioli's praise is specific: he says they have proved it in every game. That matters because a side in rhythm tends to make a visiting back line decide quickly, rather than settle. I could not confirm anything about their own team news from the sources I opened, so I'd treat that half as open.
What I'd watch is the first ten minutes after a Porto turnover: do they recover shape, or does the left side, with a rotating full-back, get stretched? One loose spell would tell us more than the table does.
Sources: Observador, 23 Oct (Farioli press conference); A Bola and SAPO on the injuries.
