Who rose and who fell! See who won favour and who let Renato down at Vasco

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Papo na Colina

·29 May 2026

Who rose and who fell! See who won favour and who let Renato down at Vasco

Vasco finished their Copa Sudamericana group stage campaign in second place in Group G, behind Olimpia in the standings. With a clear strategy laid out by the coaching staff to prioritize the Brazilian Championship, coach Renato Gaúcho chose to rest his regular starters in five of the team’s six matches in the competition. The heavy squad rotation also gave the manager a chance to carry out an in-depth assessment of the first-team roster before the break for the 2026 World Cup, determining who had improved in training and who ended up losing ground behind the scenes at São Januário.

+ Group of death! Draw puts Olimpia, River Plate and Boca in Vasco’s path

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Who gained the coaching staff’s trust at Vasco

Adson: He was the player who made the most of the tactical opportunities throughout the competition. After starting the season under medical uncertainty due to two serious injuries, the forward gave an excellent physical response and ended the group stage with three goals and three assists. He went from being a low-trust option to becoming a starter for the first team.
Ramon Rique: He was drafted into the team at the last minute against Olimpia at São Januário after Tchê Tchê felt unwell during the warm-up, and he became one of the standout performers in the 3–0 win. The youngster impressed the assistants in training and was ultimately integrated permanently into the senior squad.
Avellar: He took advantage of the openings at left-back caused by the consecutive absences of Cuiabano and Lucas Piton. The defender delivered solid and consistent performances whenever called upon in the back line, also securing his permanent promotion to Vasco’s professional squad.

Ramon Rique in Vasco vs. Olimpia — Photo: Alexandre Durão / ge

Who fell short in the competition

Brenner: The striker wasted a weak penalty in the 3–0 win over Barracas Central, frustrating Vasco fans who were chanting his name in the stands. The player put together a string of anonymous performances and still has not found his true tactical role on the pitch.
Carlos Cuesta: The Colombian center-back had even taken over as a starter in the position after Saldivia’s inconsistent performances, but he made mistakes in key matches. The defender showed serious positioning errors in protecting the penalty area against Olimpia in Paraguay and was eventually sent off in the match against Audax Italiano.
Daniel Fuzato: Léo Jardim’s immediate backup failed to make the most of the minutes he was given in goal for Vasco. The keeper made a glaring mistake in Chile by mishandling a low back pass from Saldivia, resulting in an absurd own goal this season.