"Article 98": Little-known rule brings controversial player to Vasco | OneFootball

Vasco da Gama received news that changes the planning for the semifinal of the Copa do Brasil. A large part of the fans and the press believed that the expulsion of one of the starters in the defeat to Atlético-MG last Sunday would automatically rule him out of the decisive classic this Thursday (11). However, the General Regulations of Competitions of the CBF point in a different direction, placing a "hot potato" in the hands of Fernando Diniz.

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Understand the rule that frees Hugo Moura

The midfielder Hugo Moura, sent off at 19 minutes of the first half at Arena MRV, is fit to face Fluminense. According to the profile Atenção, Vascaínos!, Article 98, paragraph 2 of the regulations, states that “automatic suspensions are considered extinguished if the competition ends.”

Since the Brasileirão ended for Vasco on Sunday, the automatic suspension is not immediately transferred to the Copa do Brasil, which is a distinct knockout tournament. The player would only have to serve the punishment in 2026 (in the next Brasileiro) or if judged by the STJD this year, which there is not enough time to occur before Thursday.

Hugo Moura at the moment he is sent off last Sunday – Photo: Fillipe Alves/Agência F8/Gazeta Press

Reinforcement or disciplinary risk for Vasco?

Now, the decision is purely technical and psychological. Diniz will have to decide whether to field a player going through a critical disciplinary phase. In a year and a half at the club, Hugo Moura has already accumulated four red cards, approaching the negative record of former defender João Vitor (who had five).

The legal clearance is a relief for a short and worn-out squad, but it brings with it the fear of recurrence. The midfielder was considered the “villain” of the thrashing in Minas Gerais and will enter the field, if chosen, under strong pressure from the stands and with the referees watching his recent history.

Hugo Moura is heavily questioned by the fans – Photo: Matheus Lima/Vasco

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