Jan Bednarek played through pain for Porto in their win over Alverca. The Polish centre-back disclosed this in an interview with Eleven Sports Poland, after picking up an injury in the Portuguese Super Cup.
Bednarek suffered a lateral ligament issue, but the structure was not damaged. "I had a problem with the lateral ligaments, but the structure was not damaged. So, I took painkillers to play. FC Porto is hard work," he said. His involvement helped the Dragons begin their Primeira Liga title defence with a 2-0 victory and a clean sheet. This win puts the team level with others at the top of the standings at this early stage.
Why did Bednarek criticise the pitch?
Jan Bednarek was highly critical of the pitch conditions in the Taça da Liga match against Torreense. The Polish international described the turf as "tragic" and explained the actual condition was far worse than it appeared on the television broadcast. Painting the grass on the morning of the match improved the visual effect but not the playability.
"The pitch was tragic in that game," Bednarek said. He considered such conditions a hindrance to promoting the Portuguese league in Europe and a danger to players. The defender highlighted the team's desire to play at a high level and entertain the fans, which is difficult on a poor pitch. This concern over pitch standards comes as Porto prepares for a run of important fixtures, which can be viewed on our fixtures page.
How does the team rate the league start?
Despite the opening day triumph, Bednarek's assessment is not one of full satisfaction. The player identified easy losses of possession in simple situations and a lack of composure to maintain control in midfield. This instability led to the game becoming a "rush from one side to the other".
However, he praised the team's pragmatism, good defensive behaviour, and the saves from goalkeeper Diogo Costa. Bednarek stated the dressing room motto is "we want more", showing ambition after last season's title win. The team aims to write a new story and bring more joy to the city. The current squad, viewable in our squad section, demonstrates this hunger for success.
What did he reveal about pre-season?
Jan Bednarek shared details about the intensity of the preparation for the new campaign. The defender, who joined Porto from Southampton in 2022, said he never had a pre-season as tough in his entire career. The training sessions required breaking mental barriers due to their high level of difficulty.
"In my career, I've never had a pre-season where we trained so hard," he confessed. This hard work was done with a clear goal: to ensure the team stays fit throughout the entire competition. The philosophy of maximum effort is ingrained at the club, and Bednarek underlined that nobody complained as everyone understood the common purpose.
Porto's immediate next challenge is to continue accumulating points in the league. With players like Bednarek showing total commitment even while injured, the team displays a strong mentality for the long title race. Maintaining a solid defence, which currently has zero goals conceded, will be a key factor in repeating last season's success.
