After a period without games according to Data FIFA, coach Ramón Diaz began defining Vasco’s team for the classic with Fluminense, next Saturday (16), in the Brazilian Championship. The teams will face each other at 4pm (Brasília time), in a match valid for the 23rd round of the competition. And Cruz-Maltino will have changes in the starting lineup for the classic.
Ramón Diaz will not be able to count on midfielder/defender Medel against Fluminense. The Chilean received his third yellow card against Bahia and is suspended. Furthermore, expelled in the last round, midfielder Jair will also be absent from Vasco this Saturday.
On the other hand, Vasco has the return of midfielder Zé Gabriel, who was suspended in the last round. Thus, the expectation is that he will naturally regain his position in the starting team. This way, Ramón Diaz would keep Maicon in defense once again, since he will not have Medel, who had been playing as a defender before returning to being used as a midfielder due to Zé Gabriel’s suspension.
Vasco’s probable lineup against Fluminense
However, Ramón Diaz could still promote Payet into the starting lineup. The Frenchman, who debuted against Bahia, is improving physically and could start playing next Saturday. During the squad’s break last week, Payet continued training at CT Moacyr Barbosa and, last Monday, he participated in the training game against São Cristóvão, in São Januário, won by Vasco 5-0. For the midfielder’s entry, Serginho should be chosen to leave the team.
This way, if Payet is a starter, Vasco can go to the field against Fluminense with: Léo Jardim, Robson, Maicon, Léo, Piton, Zé Gabriel, Paulinho, Praxedes, Payet, Pec (Sebastian) and Vegetti.
Vasco still has three more training sessions before the classic with Fluminense. And, on Wednesday, Cruz-Maltino will do a kind of “field recognition” of Nilton Santos. The club made this request to Botafogo, to be able to train on the synthetic field before next Saturday’s match.
This Saturday’s classic will pit clubs that are in very different situations in the Brazilian Championship face to face. 21 points separate Fluminense from Vasco. While Tricolor is in 5th place, with 38, Cruz-Maltino is only 18th, with 17 points.
Vasco’s next games
- Vasco x Fluminense – 9/16 (Saturday) – 4pm (Brasília time) – Nilton Santos
- Vasco x Coritiba – 9/21 (Thursday) – 7pm (Brasília time) – São Januário
- América-MG x Vasco – 25/9 (Monday) – 8pm (Brasília time) – Arena Independência
- Santos x Vasco – TBD – TBD – Vila Belmiro
