FC Porto is set to change heavily for its Taça da Liga debut against Académico de Viseu, with several regular names missing and a few fringe players moving into view. The first question around Porto Vs Académico De Viseu is not the result, but how far Farioli is willing to go with the reshuffle.
That search matters now because Porto arrives unbeaten in the league and already has the latest Supertaça, which makes this cup opener feel more like a squad test than a central objective. On 28 October 2026, SAPO reported that the club is likely to use the match to manage minutes and open the door to players who have been waiting for a chance, including Seko Fofana and Mec.
The selection picture points to a different lineup from the one that has carried Porto through the league. Zaidu and Samu were not called up, while William Gomes and Pietuszewski are out as they recover from injuries. Prpic, Souza and Mide are new names in the squad list, and the goalkeeper position could also see a new starter. In defense, the options under consideration include Smalling, Nehuén Pérez or Souza, which leaves the back line open to more than one combination.
That is the friction in the story. Porto has been flawless in the league and has already added the latest Supertaça, yet the Taça da Liga has not been described publicly by Farioli as a priority, especially with the schedule tightening. The club still has reason to take the match seriously: Académico de Viseu has already shown it can spring a surprise after beating Sporting in the league in what was described as a historic win, even though Porto also beat Académico de Viseu 3-0 at home earlier in the league.
The likely result of all that is a match shaped less by certainty than by auditions. If Porto makes the number of changes expected, the night becomes a chance for Seko Fofana, Mec and the new names to push into the conversation for bigger games later in the season. The final starting eleven is still the unresolved part, and that is what will matter most when the team sheet arrives.
