Schmidt out, Arão set for full Santos debut in Copa do Brasil | OneFootball

Santos have a certain absence for the decisive clash against Vitória, valid for the 29th round of the Brazilian Championship. Midfielder João Schmidt will have to serve a suspension due to an accumulation of yellow cards, which could open the door for a possible debut for Willian Arão as a starter.

Arão was announced by Santos in July this year and arrived amid high expectations from the fans. The midfielder, however, suffered a right calf injury right in his debut for the club, against Flamengo, and was sidelined for almost three months.

Arão’s injury was initially treated as an edema, which would have kept the player out for only a few days. However, the problem was bigger than expected, which led to criticism from some fans. Not by chance, Arão’s only game for Santos, until the derby against Corinthians, had been against Flamengo on July 16.

Arão’s return gives Vojvoda a new option

Willian Arão recovered from the right calf injury and returned to Santos’ squad list in late September. The midfielder, however, had not yet been given an opportunity by coach Juan Pablo Vojvoda. It was only last Wednesday that, with a more favorable scenario, the Argentine gave the player a chance.

Arão came on in the 40th minute of the second half to replace Zé Rafael. He had about 11 minutes on the pitch and responded well. According to Sofascore, he recorded one tackle, one ball recovery, and one ground duel won. He also completed all of the few passes he attempted.

Willian Arão’s return to the pitch gives Vojvoda a ‘new’ reinforcement in midfield. The area is well-stocked and includes players like Zé Rafael, João Schmidt, Tomás Rincón, Gabriel Bontempo, Victor Hugo, and the youngster Hyan. The coach valued the return and revealed that the player was anxious to get back to playing.

“About Arão, when I arrived, I had a conversation with him. He was dealing with that anxiety [to get back to playing], of course. Naturally, they signed Willian Arão, an important player, and many times people were demanding him and asking why he wasn’t playing. I told him to stay calm, to keep training and feel good. And when he was ready, the opportunity would come. Today he had a few minutes to play, he responded as well. It’s one more option we have in midfield,” Vojvoda said in a press conference.

Arão to start against Vitória?

With João Schmidt suspended, a spot is open in Santos’ midfield. Arão stands out as an option to pair with Zé Rafael, since Tomás Rincón, with edema in his left calf, is still a doubt for the match against Vitória.

Vojvoda could therefore bet on starting Arão. This would be the midfielder’s debut as a starter for Santos, since in both matches he played he came on in the second half. The coach will have four days to decide Schmidt’s replacement and prepare the team for the clash against Vitória.

Bontempo or Victor Hugo are also options if the coach opts for a ‘lighter’ midfield with more dynamism. Arão, in turn, can offer greater defensive security, freeing Zé Rafael to have more presence in the box, as was the case in the derby against Corinthians.

Santos’ situation in the table

With the win over Corinthians, Santos gained some breathing room in the fight against relegation. Juan Pablo Vojvoda’s team remains in 16th place, but now with 31 points, six more than Vitória, who sit at the top of the relegation zone. The Leão, however, take the field this Thursday at 9:30 p.m. (Brasília time), at home, against Bahia.

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