Vasco's defence will have Carlos Cuesta in for suspended Saldivia | OneFootball

Vasco will have important changes to its lineup for its next official match. After the 1-1 draw against Remo, the team is now focused on the clash with São Paulo. The match is valid for the 12th round of the 2026 Brazilian Championship.

The forced change will happen in Vasco’s defensive system. Center-back Alan Saldivia received his third yellow card in the last match and will have to serve an automatic suspension. The absence of the undisputed starter forces coach Renato Gaúcho to reorganize his back line.

+ One month of Renato Gaúcho: Vasco improve in the Brazilian Championship but expose flaws

A golden chance for Carlos Cuesta

The main favorite to take the spot is Colombian defender Carlos Cuesta. The defender joined Vasco last season and had some good moments during his adaptation. However, he ended up losing space with the rapid rise of his teammate in the position.

Now, the center-back gets a new opportunity in a high-pressure scenario. He will need to show a lot of composure and consistency on the pitch to regain his standing. Despite the personnel change, the coaching staff is not expected to make any drastic changes to the team’s current tactical setup.

Vasco’s defensive challenges

The Giant of the Hill is trying to correct the heavy defensive inconsistency of recent weeks. Defensive midfielder Thiago Mendes even said that the recent away draw left a very bitter taste. The expectation is that the Colombian’s inclusion will restore the much-desired stability to the sector.

While the coach defines the team for the national tournament, the club is also looking ahead to its run in the South American Cup. An interesting detail stirred the fans behind the scenes of the continental competition. An Artificial Intelligence even predicted the exact score of the next international clash against Audax Italiano.

Carlos Cuesta will play in the Brazilian Championship match – Photo: Thiago Ribeiro/AGIF

+ Follow Papo na Colina on social media: Thread, Bluesky, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok and Google News.

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