BEST XI: PRIMEIRA LIGA 22/23

GOALKEEPER

Paulo Vitor stands out for his agility under the sticks, his positioning and anticipation. He is a goalkeeper who transmits confidence to his defense and who knows how to prevail in the area. His weak point could be the game with his feet, since sometimes he makes mistakes that put him in trouble.

However, he is a goalkeeper who makes up for his failures with his successes and who is always focused and committed.

He is, without a doubt, one of the pillars of Chaves, he has become one of the team's benchmarks. His experience, reflexes and leadership are some of the qualities that define him as a goalkeeper.

DEFENDERS

Eduardo Aquino is a young player (26 years old) with a lot of talent and projection, who has shown his quality both in Brazil and in Portugal. He is a very dangerous winger or right back due to his speed and dribbling, which can generate many scoring chances for himself or his teammates. He is a fast, skilful player with good definition, who can unbalance rival defenses with his dribbling and diagonals.

He is right-footed, but he can also play on the right or left wing. His main virtue is his speed, which allows him to win over defenders and create scoring chances. He also stands out for his dribbling, ability to associate with his teammates and vision of the game.

He is a player who contributes a lot to his team's offensive game, both in creation and in finishing.

Nicolás Otamendi stands out for his aggressiveness, anticipation and passing game. He is a defender who does not shrink against rival forwards and who usually goes into the game with great intensity. His ability to read the game and anticipate the plays allows him to cut many balls and go on the attack quickly.

In addition, he is a good header, both in defense and attack, where he usually takes advantage of his physical power to finish off crosses.

Sometimes his aggressiveness works against him and he commits unnecessary fouls or earns yellow or red cards. He can also lose concentration or position in some plays, which makes him look bad or leave space behind him.

On the other hand, his delivery of the ball is not very precise or creative, and he usually resorts to hitting the ball or passing back.

Antonio Silva is one of the defenders with the greatest potential in European football. Strong, fast and aggressive central defender, who stands out for his anticipation, aerial game and ability to play the ball from behind. He measures 1.88 meters, which gives him a good physical presence to prevail in individual duels.

In addition, he has a good reaction and running speed, which allows him to recover positions and cut spaces for rival forwards.

One of Silva's main qualities is his anticipation, both in defense and attack. He reads the game well and anticipates the rival's intentions, intercepting passes, clearing balls or stealing possession. He also takes advantage of his anticipation to join the attack on set pieces, where he is a constant danger due to his good header.

Another strengths is his passing game, both defensive and offensive. He has a good jump and good positioning, which allows him to win most of the balls he disputes over the top.He is capable of generating danger with his headers in the opposite area.

Álex Grimaldo is a very complete full-back who stands out for his ability to join the attack and generate danger with his crosses, shots and combinations with wingers. His left foot is very precise and allows him to execute high-quality free kicks and corners.

In addition, he has a good vision of the game and knows how to choose the right moment to go up or stay behind.

Physically, he is an agile, fast and resistant player. His speed allows him to win over opposing defenders and recover his position when he loses the ball. His agility helps him dribble and change direction with ease. His stamina allows him to maintain a high level of intensity throughout the match.

He is an exceptional player, who has all the qualities that can be asked of a modern left-back.

MIDFIELDERS

Iuri Medeiros is a fast, skillful player with good vision of the game. He is characterized by his ability to overflow on both sides, although he usually starts from the right to take advantage of his left leg. He has a good dribble, a great variety of technical resources and an excellent punch from medium and long distance. He also stands out for his mobility, his intelligence to associate with his teammates and his defensive work.

At 29, he is at a key moment in his career, where he must show that he can be an important player for Braga and aspire to make the leap to a higher level team or a more competitive league.

Otávio is undoubtedly one of the best players in Porto and in Portuguese football. He mainly plays as a playmaker in the center or on the right, although he can also play as an inside or winger. His mobility and intelligence allow him to associate with his teammates, create space and throw opponents off balance with his dribbling and passing. He is a very complete player, who stands out both offensively and defensively. His delivery, pressure and recovery of balls are essential for the balance of the team.

• Offensive: He is a very creative and dangerous player. His ability on the ball allows him to dribble past his opponents with ease, be it with changes of pace, cuts or feints. His vision of the game allows him to find his teammates in advantageous positions, whether with short or long passes. Otávio also has a good shot from outside the area, which he usually uses when he has no passing options or when he sees the forward goalkeeper.
• Defensive: He is a very committed and supportive player. Their job is to put pressure on the opponent when they have the ball, cut through passing lanes and win back possession. Otávio also helps his teammates in coverage and defensive aid, which makes him a very dedicated and valuable player for the team.

Pedro Gonçalves has become the team leader. His usual position is midfielder behind the striker, but he can also play on the wings or as a second striker. His mobility and intelligence allow him to find spaces between the lines and associate with his teammates. His main virtue is his ability to reach the area and define with precision, both with the right and with the left.

In addition, he has a good ball strike from outside the area and a great sense of opportunism.

He is a player with great potential and a very interesting projection for the future. His performance at Sporting has earned him his debut with the Portuguese team and aroused the interest of various European clubs.

Ricardo Horta has established himself as one of the team's benchmarks and has been a full international with Portugal on four occasions.

His natural position is as a left winger, but he can also play on the right or as a second striker. His main virtue is his overflow, since he is capable of overcoming defenders with his change of pace and ability with the ball.

In addition, he has a good shot with both legs and usually looks for a shot from outside the area or a pass into space for his teammates. His mobility and vision of the game allow him to participate in collective plays and create numerical superiorities.

FORWARDS

Mehdi Taremi is a complete striker, who can play both as a reference and as a second striker. He has a good shot with both legs and with his head, a great vision of the game and an excellent ability to associate with his teammates.

In addition, he is very skilled in dribbling, control and definition.

He does not remain fixed in the area, but rather moves across the entire attack front, looking for spaces and generating superiorities. His mobility allows him to surprise rival defenses and create scoring chances. He also allows him to participate in the making of the game and connect with wingers and midfielders.

He is a very complete player, who stands out for his goalscoring ability, mobility, intelligence and commitment. He is one of the pillars of Porto and one of the best strikers today.

Gonçalo Ramos is characterized for being a very complete striker, who can play both as a reference and as a second striker or winger. His mobility, intelligence and eye for goal allow him to take advantage of the spaces and opportunities that come his way.

In addition, he has great individual technique, good ball control and excellent definition with both legs and with his head.

His strengths include his ability to get unmarked, anticipation, speed, physical power, passing game and tactical versatility. Among his aspects to improve, are his participation in the collective game, defensive pressure, resistance and consistency.

He has great potential to become one of the best forwards in Europe in the coming years. His youth, talent and ambition augur a bright future for him.