At a time when things are not going well for FC Porto, there are players who are also 'taking the brunt', with one of the most obvious cases being Fábio Cardoso, due to the difficulties in establishing himself among Sérgio Conceição's main choices. With 27 games played this season, the 29-year-old centre-back is not far from surpassing the best record of games since he arrived at Dragão (with 30 games last season), but the truth is that his most recent return to the starting lineup, against Vitória SC (1-2), last Sunday, should be something temporary. Due to Otávio Ataíde's suspension, due to an accumulation of yellow cards, Fábio Cardoso benefited from another opportunity to convince the coach of the blue and whites, but the truth is that, at half-time, he ended up being replaced by Zé Pedro, and may have lost the chance to replace Pepe (sent off at 70 minutes in the team's most recent 'stumble') in the next duel, against Famalicão.

Most of the games in which Fábio Cardoso was present took place alongside Pepe.© Getty Images  

The truth is that his regularity in the eleven was only 'the watchword' when taking advantage of injuries to colleagues such as Iván Marcano and Pepe, with three key moments contributing to the current moment of the defender, two of which were related to... expulsions.

From Luz to Arouca, not forgetting the most recent of all

Fábio Cardoso started by replacing Pepe at the beginning of the championship (with an assist in the first round) due to the expulsion in the Super Cup Classic, in the 2-0 defeat against Benfica, and then ended up being called up to the eleven again due to the prolonged absence of Iván Marcano, since last September, but he was not exactly happy against the eagles, at Luz (new 'stumble', by 1-0), when he was sent off at 19 minutes of the match.

At the time, David Carmo was still part of the blue and white squad, so he was also an option, here and there, but the truth is that Fábio Cardoso 'grabbed' the place next to Pepe, with 17 consecutive games (one goal and one assist), until the defeat against Arouca (3-2), about two months ago, when he received a new expulsion order in stoppage time. Then, the door opened to the reinforcement Otávio, who quickly won the confidence of Sérgio Conceição.

In the last ten matches, the 29-year-old centre-back still played in the 'quarter-finals' of the Portuguese Cup, against his former team, Santa Clara (1-2), adding the most recent challenge, in the reception to Vitória SC, with a substitution in the middle, which probably appears as the third key moment in a somewhat 'troubled' season, given that there will be few chances of playing much more until the end of this season. Will Fábio Cardoso be able to establish himself in the eleven next season, so as to be more Car(i)doso for his team? We will find out if he remains in the next squad.

Leia Também: FC Porto 'arrasa' arbitragem: "Noutros campos pode-se dar cabeçadas..." (Portuguese version)