Renato Gaúcho on Vasco’s comeback: praises mental strength

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Papo na Colina

·13. März 2026

Renato Gaúcho on Vasco’s comeback: praises mental strength

The night of consecration in the cauldron featured a strong speech and tactical revelations behind the scenes. Coach Renato Gaúcho held a press conference after Vasco's 2-1 victory against Palmeiras, achieved this Thursday (12), at São Januário. The comeback win marked the coach's debut and lifted the team out of the relegation zone of the Brazilian Championship.

The coach praised the group's ability to react against an opponent that, in his view, will compete for the national title. The rival opened the scoring in the first half with Flaco López, but the team from Rio sought the result in the second half with goals from Thiago Mendes and Cuiabano.

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+ In a comeback, Vasco beats Palmeiras and exits the relegation zone

The Tactical Turnaround and the Psychological Factor

The professional detailed the halftime conversation that changed the course of the match.

“I said we were doing well and that we would at least get a draw. I also said that soon we would change the tactical part, push the team a little more forward. So we opened up, played practically with one midfielder and three forwards, got the equalizing goal and then the winning goal,” explained the coach.

The basis of this reaction involved intense mental work during the week's training sessions:

“I worked a lot on the psychological part. It's crucial to instill in their minds that they have the ability. Many players would like to be in their place, they have this opportunity, Vasco is very big. They need to show why they are wearing this jersey.”

The Strength of the Fans and Vasco's Midfield

The synergy with the stands also gained prominence in the press conference, as well as the tough choices, like the substitution of Lucas Piton:

“I took Piton out to preserve him. If he stayed, he would be booed every time he touched the ball, and that could hinder him. The fans today were fundamental. I told them: if you give your all, if you run, the fans won't boo, they will support you.”

To conclude, he justified the unprecedented lineup with Hugo Moura and Tchê Tchê in the central sector and mentioned Vasco's former coach:

“Diniz has his game scheme, which I respect. I have a different way of working. In my mind, it was about neutralizing Palmeiras' team and, with the ball, playing. So we neutralized their plays, we practically always had one more man in the midfield,” concluded the coach.

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