Académico de Viseu manager Bruno Pinheiro admitted his team need several factors to go their way to beat FC Porto this Saturday. To stop the Primeira Liga leaders, the coach called for favourable refereeing and a perfect performance from his players.
Bruno Pinheiro was clear in his preview of the fourth-round match. "We need FC Porto not to have too much luck, we also need a happy refereeing, without major incidents," the manager said in a press conference. He highlighted the strength of the opponent, who arrive in Viseu after what he considered their best game of the season.
The league leaders have a perfect record of three wins and nine points, while Académico have two points and sit in 12th place. The home team already managed a draw in their visit to Benfica, a result that shows their resilience. The match is scheduled for 18:00 at the Estádio Municipal do Fontelo and can be followed on our fixtures page.
Bruno Pinheiro's strategy involves being aggressive, patient, and quick to adjust. He acknowledged it will be difficult to have long spells of possession against a team that "creates many defensive duels". The idea is to have defensive patience, wait for the right moment to win the ball back, and attack on the quick transition.
"It will force us to adjust our positioning very quickly," the coach admitted, underlining the speed with which FC Porto presses. Pinheiro praised the opposing technical team, where he has former colleagues, and said his players are prepared for moments of suffering during the game.
Sérgio Conceição's team arrive in Viseu in great form and lead the table comfortably. Fans can check the full standings and the league's progression in our standings section. Académico's goal will be to become the first team to score and not concede against FC Porto this season, a challenge that will demand the maximum from the home side.
