Santos v Botafogo: Vojvoda’s options to replace Zé Rafael | OneFootball

Needing a win to recover in the Brazilian Championship, Santos will face Botafogo on Sunday, away from home, for the 30th round. Coach Juan Pablo Vojvoda, however, will not be able to count on the suspended Zé Rafael and is looking for alternatives during the week of training at CT Rei Pelé.

The number 6 has been playing as a second midfielder, meaning he has more freedom to help in offensive construction. The former Palmeiras player, in fact, is one of the team's main highlights in recent rounds.

The Alternatives

Vojvoda has some options to fill the absence of Zé Rafael. Gabriel Bontempo and Victor Hugo are the main candidates for the spot.

In the 1-0 defeat to Vitória last Monday, Bontempo was chosen to replace Zé Rafael, who left at the 40th minute of the second half.

The "Menino da Vila" recently recovered from an injury and hasn't been a starter since the 2-0 loss to Bahia on August 24. At that time, the São Paulo club had Matheus Bachi as interim. In other words, the youngster has never started a game with Vojvoda.

Victor Hugo, on the other hand, has slightly more offensive characteristics and was brought in a bit earlier against Vitória, at the 24th minute of the second half, replacing Willian Arão. The former Flamengo player also recently recovered from an injury but has already been a starter twice with the Argentine coach.

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Defensive Lineup?

Vojvoda, however, might opt for a more defensive scheme and replace Zé Rafael with a more defensive midfielder. João Schmidt is returning from suspension and could pair with Willian Arão.

Tomás Rincón is another contender for the position. The Venezuelan is expected to be available after missing the last two games due to a muscle edema in his left calf.

Against Ceará, away from home, Vojvoda opted for a midfield with more defensive power. He lined up João Schmidt, Rincón, and Zé Rafael together. The result, however, was not as expected: a 3-0 defeat.

The coach will have until Sunday to decide the lineup. The match will be at 4 PM (Brasília time), at Nilton Santos, in Rio de Janeiro, for the 30th round of the Brasileirão.

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