Vasco ditch Maracanã, confirm Palmeiras semi-final at São Januário | OneFootball

Vasco made its decision behind the scenes and chose to host the decisive second leg of the Copa do Brasil semifinal against Palmeiras at São Januário. The board gave up on submitting a new request to use the Maracanã in the national tournament, prioritizing the strength of its own stadium on November 8 in a bid to reach the grand final with the full backing of the stands.

The choice of the traditional North Zone stadium became viable because the national knockout competition regulations require only a minimum capacity of 15,000 seats for this stage, a mark fully met by Vasco’s structure. Unlike the stricter continental rules, the CBF allows the match to be played there without requiring a move to a larger arena, giving the Giant the chance to play on its own ground.

+ Vasco formally requests to face Boca Juniors at the Maracanã

CBF regulations and home cauldron

With the decision made for the national tournament, Vasco is now focusing all of its diplomatic and legal efforts on securing the release of the Maracanã for the Copa Sudamericana semifinal against Boca Juniors. Conmebol requires a capacity of more than 30,000 people from this stage of the international competition onward, which makes playing at São Januário on October 20 impossible and leaves the board awaiting an official response from the managing consortium.

While waiting for a position from the administrators of the public complex, club officials are closely monitoring developments involving other international matches scheduled for the capital. The South American governing body itself has already confirmed Flamengo and Fluminense matches in the Copa Libertadores at the same venue, which strengthens Vasco’s legal arguments to assert its right to play at the city’s biggest stage without operational restrictions.

International stage and pressure on Vasco

The confirmation of the match against the São Paulo side at the Historic Hill brings peace of mind to Vasco’s sporting plans, as the club can now organize its logistics without the uncertainty of last-minute legal battles. Head coach Pedro Emanuel and the players welcomed the decision to keep home advantage at São Januário, counting on the vibrant atmosphere created by the fans to push the team toward a place in the title match in November.

Until the national knockout tie reaches the pitch, the senior squad remains fully focused on the next rounds of the Brazilian Championship and on preparations for the away leg of the continental playoff. Fans hope to see the team maintain its consistency on all fronts, turning the support from the stands into the fuel needed to reach the decisive rounds and fight for titles until the end of the season.

Vasco will seek qualification in front of its 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.