In 28 games played between FC Porto and Famalicão in the history of national football, the team from Vila Nova de Famalicão has only won four times. One of those was in the controversial game of 1993, in which a journalist was attacked after the game, and the most recent occasion in June 2020, in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic. 

Three months after the last matchday, played in early March, the championship returned still 'with fear', with the country gradually easing the lockdown, but with strong measures to contain the pandemic. 

Perhaps taking advantage of an 'rusty' FC Porto, Famalicão defeated the club that would become the champion that season, by 2-1, in Vila Nova de Famalicão. With the stands completely empty, the goals of Fábio Martins and Pedro Gonçalves were superior to the goal of Jesús Corona. In an interview with Desporto ao Minuto, the first scorer recalls that match. 

"It was Famalicão's last victory over FC Porto and it was a game with a lot of specificity, after what the pandemic brought or, in this case, took from football. It was a strange game, as it is logical we were all super anxious to return. And it was a good return, with a victory of that magnitude that has not happened in years, I am very happy to have participated in it," began by recalling Fábio Martins. The current captain of Al Khaleej, from the Saudi League, recalls the goal scored against his former club:

"I remember several things, the strangeness of seeing the stands without fans, in a game against FC Porto, a game that normally has many fans in the stands. I remember the goal perfectly, as if it were today. Marchesín makes a mistake, puts the ball on his foot, and I score with the goal open. I did a 'non-celebration', as a form of respect for everything that FC Porto has given me and represents to me, in my career and in my life. It was a bittersweet feeling. Happy, of course, because I always have to do my job and I'm happy for that, but it's always strange to score against FC Porto because it's a club that means a lot to me."

[The moment when Fábio Martins apologizes for the goal scored against FC Porto]© Miguel Pereira/Global Imagens
The Invicta emblem is very important to Fábio Martins, even at the family level. "FC Porto is a club where I started playing since I was 6 years old, I did all my training there. I regret not having reached the level of the A team, but it is a club that means a lot to me, that helped me make my career, that made me grow as a player and as a man. I have a lot of affection. My father was a player for the club, my son plays for Dragon Force. It's a club that means a lot to me and always will," he confesses.

Fábio Martins recalls "positive season for Famalicão with "a lot of youth"

Famalicão played its first season in the first division after 25 years of absence from the I Liga. The team had a great start to the competition, already guided by João Pedro Sousa, and ended the season in an honorable sixth place.

"It was a positive season, with seven or eight matchdays in which we were the first classified in the Championship. We had a lot of youth, unknown to most of the public. I don't think anyone believed that we would have a season of that level. It was very important for me, for my career. After a year at Sp. Braga that was not as good as I expected, I needed to change my environment, to feel useful, to feel the passion for football again. Famalicão brought me that, the people of Famalicão brought me that. I feel very grateful for everything I lived in Famalicão," says Fábio Martins.

One of the things he remembers best is the passion of the Famalicenses around the team. "The fans are fantastic, the atmosphere they create in that stadium... That's where I found happiness again. I am very grateful to Mr. João Pedro Sousa, to the entire management of Famalicão. I keep all those moments in my heart," he guarantees. 

   Famalicão is already more relaxed, not with the 'rope around its neck'

Looking at the present, with FC Porto hosting Famalicão next Saturday, at 6 pm, Fábio Martins warns Sérgio Conceição's team about the difficulties they may encounter, "especially" at a negative moment for the Dragons (three defeats in the last five games), when Famalicão managed to win twice for the first time this season, under the command of Armando Evangelista:

"Famalicão is coming from a positive phase with some victories, is already more relaxed, is not with the 'rope around its neck', as they say. The players are more relaxed, they don't have as much pressure anymore. They are fighting to get out of the water line. FC Porto is in a less good moment. Even if Famalicão was in a bad moment and FC Porto in a good moment, it would be a difficult game for FC Porto. Even more so now, with Famalicão in a positive moment and FC Porto in a negative one. Anything can happen, Porto is the favorite, but Famalicão has a say in this game." 

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