Football Season Guide

Triumphant season in 2021-22, as Porto took the ‘Dobradinha’, winning both League and Cup. Key for the success was Conceição’s drastic change in approach, as he made a serious bet on the many young, technical talents he had available preferred over the physical profile of previous seasons. Despite some interested big teams in Europe, goalkeeper Diogo Costa should stay at least one more season, which ones expects his affirmation as a top player in the position. David Carmo arrived from Braga to replace the departing Mbemba. Despite the Congolese reliability over the last years, Carmo should mean an important improvement in the position, but will Pepe keep his fitness now with 39? João Mário will hope to have less injuries and get his huge talent confirmed on the right channel. Vitinha is the biggest blow for the season. He was the team’s heart and brain, last season, and it will be a very hard task to find a proper new partner for the always competent and combative pendulum Uribe in the centre. Eustáquio will be the choice if nobody else arrives in the meantime. Otávio will share playmaking duties, even if predominantly playing on the right side of the midfield-4, while Pepê will be the technical reference of the team on the left side. Galeno will always be an important second-half option to deal with those cagey defences. Evanilson and Taremi were a strong duo in attack, last season, and there’s no reason that it will be different this season. The highly promising (but tendentially inconsistent and sometimes problematic) Gabriel Véron arrived from Brazil and is isn’t clear which role will he take in Porto’s attack: winger or a second striker.