Vasco face Seabra after failed talks before the arrival of Pedro Emanuel | OneFootball

Vasco meet Fernando Seabra’s Coritiba on Saturday, a reunion shaped by the failed move that preceded the appointment of Pedro Emanuel, who has since overseen an upturn.

According to Globo.com, Seabra was close to taking the job, with talks advanced, flights to Rio issued and his agent briefly celebrating online. Football director Admar Lopes travelled to Curitiba and presented a proposal worth more than Seabra’s Coritiba salary.

The deal relied on agreement between the clubs. Coritiba required the release clause, about R$ 4 million, to be paid upfront, while Vasco sought instalments. The staff was set, with analyst Henrique Américo resigning from Cruzeiro to join, then later hired by Seabra’s Coritiba. The trip was cancelled and Seabra stayed.

The reversal frustrated São Januário and forced a restart during the mid-season pause with matches looming after the World Cup break. Vasco went 22 days without a coach before announcing Pedro Emanuel, who had previously worked with Lopes at Porto.

The Portuguese arrived amid scepticism, little known in Brazilian football and with the team struggling. A little over two months on, the internal view is positive and several players have improved, notably Paulo Henrique, Cuesta and Lucas Piton.

Under Pedro Emanuel, Vasco have tightened defensively, reached the Copa Sul-Americana and Copa do Brasil semi-finals and improved in the league. They have played 18 games, lost only four and posted a 55.5% return, winning five of the last seven.

This Seabra v Pedro Emanuel meeting is pivotal for Vasco’s league trajectory. On 28 points, they enter the final round before the FIFA date still in the relegation zone and need other results to end it outside. Kick-off is 20:30 at São Januário.

Source: Globo.com

“Artificial intelligence was used to assist in creating this article based on reporting from the original source quoted.”