Who is Francesco Farioli? How Can His Tactics Transform FC Porto?

After a trophyless 2024-25 season under Martin Anselme, Portuguese heavyweights FC Porto have now brought in 36-year-old Italian manager Francesco Farioli to mentor the side till 2027. Just a month after leaving AFC Ajax in the Netherlands, Farioli, who helped the Dutch side finish second in the Eredivisie last term, losing just four games, the least among the pack, will now aim to revolutionise Porto, a team which has already seen a revolution under a young Jose Mourinho in the past. 

Francesco Farioli Tactics and Style of Play

Let’s take a deeper look at Francesco Farioli tactics. Farioli is a former student of Roberto De Zerbi and has mastered a lot of traits from the fellow Italian. However, his way of approaching the game is something which Ajax fans loved, and the Porto fans will surely enjoy. Focusing on keeping the ball at their feet, Ajax relies on the build-up, and most importantly, Farioli loves playing with numbers! We’ll discuss this later in the article. While many managers in 2025 have opted to use a three-back defence line to start a game, Farioli has taken this to another level. 

Francesco Farioli Formation

What can be the Francesco Farioli Formation? Farioli sets up his team in a traditional 4-3-3 formation and relies on a low build-up. During this stage, he positions the team with two centre-backs, two full-backs, one No.6 and two No.8s. Finally, there are the three forwards higher up the pitch, who wait for their moment. 

• Back-four: Farioli deploys a four-man backline, but during build-up, he changes the shape to complement the rest defence and his team’s high line during attack.
• Two full/wing-backs: While the defenders start as full-backs, during the build-up, they are usually seen forming a three-man line in front of the two centre-backs, teaming up with the defensive midfielder. Thus, inverted full-backs are the best options for Farioli and his system. 
• A fluid midfield: While the defensive midfielder stays to form a 2-3 formation during rest defence, adding more strength to the team’s backline, the two No.8s or the ball carriers position themselves as proper attacking midfielders, creating a high-line on the pitch along with the three forwards.
• A top forward line: In his attacking third, Farioli likes his wingers to stretch opposition defences while the centre forward contributes to the scoring.

Key Tactical Traits

• Adding numbers in midfield: Farioli prefers attacking through the middle and hence always insists that his teams have a numerical advantage. On one hand, while this helps in keeping possession and exploiting the spaces, on the other hand, it reduces the distance between the players, making it more compact. The fun part is when the midfield is so compact and the distance is so less, the opposition players won’t be able to move up and press, and in turn will help his team to control the game. 
• Numerical superiority in attack: As Farioli’s team forms a 2-3-5 shape during attack, the five players in the forward line automatically create an overload over the opposition’s four-man or three-man defence, leaving space on either of the flanks. The winger who is deployed on the flanks turns effective in utilising this situation to construct and deliver a better output up front.
• Third-man movement: The most significant aspect of Francesco Farioli’s philosophy is creating the third-man movement. This needs great tactical brilliance as this requires excellent positioning and timing, apart from proper anticipation. Moreover, for the viewers, this can also be pretty eye-catching. 
• Dominating the opposition penalty box: Once again, Farioli uses numerical advantage during attacks, as he puts four or five players inside the opposition 18-yard area to create an overload. This increases their chances of scoring in case a cross is delivered into the box.
• High-press: A key tactical trait in modern football is pressing the opponents higher up the pitch. As we have already mentioned of his 2-3-5 formation while attacking helps the team press high and recover the ball closer to the opposition goal. The higher up the pitch they recover possession, the closer they are to the goal.

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Francesco Farioli Trophies and Achievements

FC Porto are Farioli’s fifth major assignment as a manager, having worked previously as an assistant and goalkeeping coach. He is yet to win a trophy, but with Porto, who are considered a big team in Portugal, fans can expect him to deliver his first major title. 

Is Francesco Farioli the Right Fit for FC Porto?

Francesco Farioli is young, dynamic, and possesses great tactical brilliance. However, whether he is the right fit for FC Porto is a question for the future. Does he have the chance to deliver trophies? Yes, he has. His tenure at Ajax, although short-lived, showcases how he wants his teams to perform on the pitch. While success is not an overnight thing, and with Porto’s prerogative being the domestic league, fans should expect a brand new style of play from the once Jose Mourinho-coached side.

How Francesco Farioli’s Tactics Could Work

• A solid midfield: When Francesco Farioli arrives at Porto, he will already have a strong No.6 in the form of Alan Varela and a central midfielder like Stephen Eustaquio. However, to implement his philosophy, he would need another ball carrier, preferably someone experienced in the craft. 
• A strong defensive third: Last season, Porto conceded 30 goals in the domestic league, three more than champions Sporting CP. They have already signed Argentine centre-back Nehuen Perez. Now, it all depends on how he combines with Ze Pedro or the other complementing central defender. 
• More goals needed: Ajax, under the tutelage of Farioli, scored 67 goals in the Eredivisie last season, which was less than champions PSV Eindhoven and third-placed Feyenoord. At Porto, he will have a forward like Samu Aghehowa, who scored 27 goals in 45 appearances last season, including two in three FIFA Club World Cup games, but he would need a proper back-up if they want to secure the title this season.

Challenges Ahead

The only challenge for Francesco Farioli is to adhere to the club’s expectations. He has a two-year contract, which means the club is ready to keep their faith in him. However, a proper result in the first season, alongside preparing the team to function fluidly under his system, would be the need of the hour.

How could FC Porto Lineup look under Francesco Farioli?

Player Roles Explained:

• Goalkeeper: Diogo Costa, if he doesn’t leave the club, is the automatic choice under the sticks, considering his shot-stopping abilities and his ball-playing tendencies.
• Centre-backs: Nehuen Perez alongside Ze Pedro are expected to form the defensive duo, which would enable Farioli’s team to maintain a strong unit throughout the campaign. 
• Wing-backs: Joao Mario and Francisco Moura would be the ideal starters if not Farioli approaches the market for a new wing-back(s).
• No.6: A top defensive midfielder is the most important player in modern football, and Alan Varela maintaining his place in the lineup is a no-brainer.
• Two No.8s: Stephen Eustaquio would be a good fit, but if Porto manage to bring back Fabio Viera again on loan from Chelsea, he could be the best option as a ball carrier. However, Gabri Veiga’s entry means that the problem should be sorted. In that case, Viera or Eustaqio can be used from the bench.
• Two wingers: William Gomes and Rodrigo Moura, who is an attacking midfielder, can be the wingers under Farioli.
• A forward: Samu Aghehowa will be expected to score more goals under Farioli’s system, as it would offer him more support. 

Verdict

Francesco Farioli should not be judged anytime soon, and only a poor performance at the end of the season should raise eyebrows. He is a coach who has delivered in the Netherlands, and our verdict would be that Porto have hired the right man to rejuvenate the side.

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