Fortaleza era over: who will lead the rescue? | OneFootball

Fortaleza have begun sifting through managerial options to replace Juan Pablo Vojvoda, whose departure marks the end of a transformative era at the club, according to Globo and Diário do Nordeste. The Argentine manager leaves after a historically successful stint, having overseen 310 matches and delivering five trophies, including three state championships and two Copa do Nordeste titles. However, a bleak run of nine winless matches, including six consecutive defeats and mounting questions over tactical rigidity, left club leadership with “difficult decisions” to make, as CEO Marcelo Paz put it.

In the immediate term, assistant and under-20 coach Léo Porto will assume charge for the coming league match against Bahia, while the club accelerates its search for a new permanent boss. Director of football Sérgio Papellin has stated the intent to secure a manager “with a winning profile, to start a new victorious cycle,” underlining the desire for fresh momentum as the team sits mired in the relegation places.

Among the primary names under consideration are Luis Zubeldía and Ramón Díaz, both Argentine and both currently out of work. Zubeldía, aged 44, was most recently at São Paulo and previously won a Copa Sudamericana at LDU. His resume also includes stints at Lanús, Racing, Cerro Porteño, and Barcelona (Ecuador). Díaz, 65, boasts an extensive career highlighted by spells with River Plate, Independiente, San Lorenzo, and the Paraguay national team. In Brazil, he had brief and turbulent engagements at Botafogo, Vasco, and Corinthians, leaving his last post in São Paulo as recently as April.

Supporters and pundits have identified other possible candidates, with poll results reported by Globo giving Maurício Barbieri the most backing at 23.85%, ahead of Zubeldía on 15.09%, Thiago Carpini at 13.63%, and Ramón Díaz further down at 9.3%. That landscape illustrates the uncertainty surrounding the club’s next move and reflects the mix of domestic and international options available.

The reasons behind Vojvoda’s exit, as detailed by Diário do Nordeste, stem not just from poor results, but a sense that the side had become stagnant, lacking tactical evolution and showing diminishing returns from both training sessions and in-match adjustments. The decision was reportedly a reluctant one, shaped by an increasingly untenable atmosphere and the club’s inability to halt its on-pitch slide, which included a failure to attempt a single shot on target in the recent Clássico Rei defeat to Ceará.

Fortaleza, despite currently sitting 18th and enduring the longest winless streak of Vojvoda’s tenure, remain alive in the Copa Libertadores and are set to face Vélez Sarsfield in the round of 16, adding urgency to the management transition. Off the pitch, the emotional impact of Vojvoda’s exit was clear, with figures such as club matriarch Toinha posting heartfelt tributes, underscoring the breadth of his legacy in Ceará.

Original sources: Globo, Diário do Nordeste