Diniz praises Vasco’s spirit and new signing’s redemption: “Deserved”

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·12 September 2025

Diniz praises Vasco’s spirit and new signing’s redemption: “Deserved”

Following the heroic qualification for the semifinals of the Brazil Cup, coach Fernando Diniz analyzed Vasco's victory over Botafogo. The coach considered the spot "very fair" for what the team showed in the two games. In addition, he revealed the emotional and "intuitive" story behind the choice of defender Robert Renan for the decisive penalty kick, which sealed the young defender's redemption.

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Coach sees justice in Vasco's qualification

For Diniz, Vasco was superior in the sum of the 180 minutes. He stated that the team deserved to have won the first leg and that, on the return, knew how to be "smart" to control the match on a difficult pitch. The coach declared:

"Taking the cut of what happened in the two games, I think it was a very fair classification. We played better than Botafogo at São Januário (...) Today was more balanced."

Fernando Diniz in Botafogo x Vasco — Photo: Thiago Ribeiro/AGIF

The redemption of the defender and the coach's "intuition"

The highlight of the night was the final charge from Robert Renan. The defender, who was living the trauma of having missed a "chip shot" penalty in a decision in the Gaucho Championship when he played for International, had the chance to redeem himself. Diniz said the choice was "somewhat intuitive". He remembered the player's mistake in the past and saw there an opportunity for overcoming. The coach said:

"That day I really wanted to work with him (...) He deserved this prize for him, because he certainly suffered a lot at Inter. That could really hinder his career, but it will be a fact generating good things."

Author of the goal that qualified Vasco, Robert Renan gained Diniz's trust – Photo: TV Reproduction

Coach asks for consistency after "turning the key"

Diniz believes that the qualification can be the "turning of the key" that the team needed. However, he asked for maturity so that the team maintains the good level of performance.