Vasco hit by nearly 40% of goals conceded from Saldivia errors | OneFootball

Uruguayan center-back Saldivia is directly responsible for 37.5% of the goals conceded by Vasco over the last six matches, creating a deep crisis in the team’s defensive system during the 2026 season. According to a statistical survey compiled by BolaVip, the defender had clear involvement in three of the eight goals the team conceded in matches from the Brazilian Championship, the Copa Sudamericana, and the Copa do Brasil. The breaking point for the fans’ frustration came in the 3-0 loss to Red Bull Bragantino, when the player lost the ball in midfield, leading to a goal by striker Fernando.

The run of serious individual mistakes by the No. 4 has hurt the dressing room’s stability and sparked open frustration from teammates such as goalkeeper Léo Jardim, defensive midfielder Barros, and captain Thiago Mendes while still on the pitch. The atmosphere of distrust around the Uruguayan began to intensify in the 2-1 win over Audax Italiano in Chile, when the player scored an own goal in the Copa Sudamericana. Days later, in the 2-2 draw against Paysandu that secured qualification in the Copa do Brasil, the player put the ball into his own net again, making it his third own goal in less than five months at the club.

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Technical frailty and pressure at Vasco

Vasco’s poor defensive performances are not limited to the foreign player, also affecting the recent displays of Carlos Cuesta and Lucas Freitas. In the current assessment of the coaching staff led by Renato Gaúcho, only youngster Robert Renan has been delivering solid and reliable performances to remain an unquestioned starter. The frequent mistakes in the defensive line have increased political pressure on the administration of president Pedrinho and prompted protests from the organized fan group Força Jovem do Vasco outside the training center.

The coach tried to work around the tactical crisis in recent training sessions by testing a new three-center-back formation to protect the penalty area at São Januário. The manager knows that aerial weakness and positioning errors while playing out from the back have cost valuable points in the Brazilian Championship standings. The squad needs to show an immediate response on Wednesday night in the knockout clash against Barracas Central to avoid a new wave of protests on social media.

Search for a defensive leader in July

The diagnosis of the unit’s technical shortcomings led football director Admar Lopes to bring forward transfer planning even before the window opens on July 20. The board is mapping out major names in the South American scene in search of an experienced, right-footed center-back with a commanding profile to take charge of the area. The executive management of the SAF understands that the arrival of a high-level signing is essential to give the coaching staff security for the rest of the year.

Saldivia is going through a terrible spell at the Gigante da Colina – Photo: Dikran Sahagian/Vasco

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