Player loses favour at Vasco, struggles to impress as a starter | OneFootball

Matheus França did not make the most of his first opportunity as a starter for Vasco. With Philippe Coutinho suspended, the midfielder began the match against Bahia among the starting eleven, but his performance fell far short of expectations and he ended up being substituted at halftime.

Throughout the entire first half at Arena Fonte Nova, the player was constantly called out by Fernando Diniz. The coach demanded more intensity and gave several instructions to França, who was unable to respond. When the second half began, David came on in place of the midfielder. Vasco ended up losing 1-0, their fifth consecutive defeat in the Brazilian Championship.

In a poll conducted by ge, Matheus França received the lowest rating among Vasco players. After having played 13 matches coming off the bench, there was an expectation that the midfielder could take advantage of the opportunity to play in his natural position and without the pressure of the fans at São Januário.

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Matheus França, Bahia vs Vasco — Photo: Matheus Lima/Vasco

In the matches against São Paulo and Botafogo, França came on in the second half, playing out of position as a defensive midfielder, and had discreet performances. Then, in the loss to Juventude at São Januário, he replaced Nuno Moreira and formed a playmaking duo with Coutinho, but finished the match to loud boos from the stands. Even with the recent doubts, Fernando Diniz chose França to replace Coutinho in the match against Bahia. The signing of the midfielder in the last transfer window was intended to expand rotation options in midfield and attack, and he was considered the natural replacement for the number 10 in case of absences.

Information gathered by ge indicates that there is no clause in the contract obligating a purchase based on minutes played or a minimum number of matches. Matheus França was one of the signings that generated the most excitement among fans, especially because of what he showed at Flamengo and in the youth categories, where he was considered one of the biggest prospects of his generation. However, up until the match against Bahia, he was the only new signing who had not yet had a chance as a starter.

At Crystal Palace, França had few opportunities due to injuries. He arrived at Vasco out of shape and needed to undergo a progressive reconditioning process to avoid overloads. During the FIFA break, the club invested in an intense physical improvement program so the player could compete for a spot among the starters in this final stretch of the season.

The performance over the first three months has not pleased the coaching staff. After his showing against Bahia, França has lost prestige and is unlikely to get another chance in the starting lineup, especially at a time of pressure due to poor results and the need to avoid the risk of relegation.

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Matheus França in the match against Botafogo at Nilton Santos — Photo: André Durão

With Coutinho returning after serving his suspension, Matheus França is expected to return to the bench for the match against Internacional, scheduled for Friday at 7:30 p.m. at São Januário. Vasco is in 13th place in the standings, with 42 points.

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This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.