Varela’s Late Penalty Propels Porto’s Title Charge as Farioli Lauds Guimarães

A late penalty turned a tense night in Guimarães into another step forward for FC Porto. Francesco Farioli’s side squeezed past an inspired Vitória SC, but not before the Italian coach had flagged the hosts as “maybe the best-in-form team in the league” and handed Alan Varela the keys to midfield. The Argentine repaid that trust in spectacular fashion.

Snapshot before the whistle

• Vitória arrived fresh from lifting the League Cup and riding a six-match unbeaten streak

• Porto were missing suspended Nico Rosario and injured duo Luuk de Jong & Nehuén Pérez

• Farioli confirmed Alan Varela would start – he ended up deciding the contest

• A single goal, from the spot on 85 minutes, settled the 18th round clash

Guimarães delivers the drama

The Estádio D. Afonso Henriques crackled from kick-off, and for long stretches it looked as if Vitória’s high-press and muscular transitions would earn something tangible. Safira rattled the crossbar, Nelson da Luz forced Diogo Costa into a full-stretch save and crowds roared with every tackle.

Porto, however, showed the resilience that is becoming a trademark under Farioli. Mehdi Taremi and Evanilson grew into the match, while Francisco Conceição’s dribbling continuously drew fouls near the box. With five minutes left, a VAR review spotted a handball by central-back Manu Silva. Varela, icy-cool, dispatched the penalty low to Bruno Varela’s right, securing a 1-0 win that keeps the Dragons two points off top spot.

Farioli’s unexpected praise for Vitória

Farioli took the unusual step of complimenting an opponent in detail during his pre-match briefing. He highlighted Vitória’s 38 % threat from set pieces, their powerful target men and a refreshed defensive block introduced by coach Luís Pinto. The Italian even claimed the Minho club “look most comfortable of all teams without the ball right now,” an observation borne out by the way Tomás Händel and Jota Silva flooded midfield passing lanes for an hour.

For Vitória supporters, that respect felt like overdue recognition. The club sits mid-table, yet it has already collected silverware and routinely troubles title contenders. José Mourinho called them “very strong” in December, Daniel Sousa labelled them a side “in clear growth”, and now Farioli has added his voice – a trio of endorsements rarely heard in the same season.

Alan Varela: from rotation piece to heartbeat

Fewer than twelve months ago, Varela debated a loan exit after starting just twice under Sérgio Conceição. Fast-forward and the 24-year-old is pivotal: he has an 86.8 % pass-completion, 12 successful tackles, 9 interceptions and 58 recoveries in league play. Crucially, Farioli trusts him to drop into the last line, morphing Porto’s 4-3-3 into a back five during defensive phases and freeing both full-backs to raid.

Varela’s winner in Guimarães was only his second goal for the club, but it underlines a new brief from the bench: “get into the box when the play develops wide.” The coach admitted he wants the Argentine’s aggression and positional sense higher up the pitch to surprise back-pedalling defences.

Inside Farioli’s tactical laboratory

Supporters wary of stylistic overhauls after a decade of Conceição’s direct football feared disruption. Instead, Farioli has blended familiar intensity with calculated build-up. Against Vitória he toggled between a pressing 4-3-3, a 5-3-2 when defending deep, and a lopsided 3-2-5 when the ball entered the final third.

That fluid shape demanded a cleaner first phase. Diogo Leite split wide, Otávio tucked in, Varela sat alone between the centre-backs, and Porto patiently lured Vitória’s forwards, creating lanes for progressive passes. The pattern is still raw – turnovers remain frequent – but Tuesday’s clean sheet and eventual breakthrough suggest the learning curve is steep but fruitful.

Why this night matters in the title arithmetic

Porto’s victory momentarily leapfrogs them above Braga and keeps pace with Benfica and Sporting at the peak. With 16 league games left, every marginal gain – including head-to-head record – could decide European qualification and revenue streams that now dominate Portuguese football budgets.

For Vitória, the defeat barely dents morale. They retain a five-point cushion over ninth place, a cup trophy in the cabinet and clear evidence they can lock horns with anyone. The immediate focus shifts to their encounter with Estrela da Amadora, where rotation will be tested after three demanding matches in eight days.

Numbers that tell the story

| Metric | Vitória SC | FC Porto || --- | --- | --- || Shots (on target) | 12 (4) | 13 (6) || Expected Goals | 1.02 | 1.45 || Pass accuracy | 78 % | 84 % || Fouls committed | 18 | 14 || Corners won | 7 | 5 || Defensive actions in final third | 22 | 17 |

Stat source: Opta, updated post-match

Looking ahead

Porto host Rio Ave next, where suspension-free Rosario will vie with Varela for a midfield slot – an intriguing decision for Farioli given the Argentine’s heroics. Injured striker Luuk de Jong resumes training next week, potentially debuting in February’s Taça de Portugal quarter-final.

Vitória, meanwhile, may rotate key men but will hope goalkeeper Bruno Varela maintains his stellar shot-stopping – 78 % save rate this season – against Estrela. Should Luís Pinto’s men sustain their current output, a European place remains firmly within reach.

Whether you follow Porto from Sá da Bandeira or Vitória from the slopes of Penha, Tuesday night confirmed two things: Farioli’s reshaped Dragons are alive in the title chase, and Guimarães’ renaissance is real enough to command league-wide respect.