Francesco Farioli acknowledged his Porto team must be at their best against a Nottingham Forest side rediscovering their groove under new boss Vitor Pereira. 

Porto welcome Forest to the Estadio Do Dragao on Thursday for the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final, with the teams having already met in the league phase. 

In Sean Dyche's first game after replacing Ange Postecoglou, he led Forest to a 2-0 win at the City Ground thanks to penalties from Morgan Gibbs-White and Igor Jesus. 

Porto are, however, one of three sides with a 100% home record in the Europa League this season, along with Aston Villa and Freiburg, winning all five games on their own turf.

Only once have they won six home games in a single European season, doing so in 2010-11 on their way to winning the Europa League, but they have stumbled of late. 

Farioli's side drew 2-2 with Famalicao in their first game back after the international break, allowing Sporting CP to cut their lead at the Primeira Liga summit.

And on Thursday, they will face a former Porto boss in Pereira, who oversaw his first Premier League victory in charge of Forest prior to the hiatus, 3-0 away at Tottenham.

The only previous Portuguese manager to face Porto in the Europa League is Domingos Paciencia, whose Braga team lost 1-0 in 2011, and Farioli is expecting a tough test.

"[Pereira] did important things at Porto, and he will prepare Nottingham to be at their best," Farioli told reporters.

"We will have to be at our best to compete. They have quality in their coach and their squad. They have been on the up since Vitor's arrival.

"And of course, all these elements will force us to give our best on the field."

Preparação #UEL pic.twitter.com/qF4TU2Xiwc

— FC Porto (@FCPorto) April 8, 2026

Pereira managed Porto from 2011 to 2013, overseeing 93 matches in all competitions and winning 65 of those (D16 L12), averaging 2.27 points per game. 

He led the club to four major titles, while also losing a UEFA Super Cup and a Taca da Liga final. 

Porto are competing in their 18th major European quarter-final, though this is their first since 2020-21, when they lost to eventual winners Chelsea in the Champions League.

In fact, they have been eliminated in their last four quarter-final ties since knocking out Spartak Moscow in the 2010-11 Europa League, but Farioli is ignoring that record.

"At the moment, the level of motivation is high. It's a privilege to play in the Europa League quarter-finals against an opponent like this," Farioli added. 

"We are where we should be in terms of level of performance and commitment, will to win and ability to advance in the competition."