Barracas player finds Renato absence against Vasco strange | OneFootball

Barracas Central midfielder Dardo Miloc said Renato’s absence felt strange to his team after the 0-0 draw in Argentina in Vasco’s Sudamericana opener.

According to Globo.com, Miloc said the situation did not go unnoticed because it became news, adding there was a cultural element. He noted that, as an Argentine, he had never encountered a team leader missing matchday leadership and it caught his attention.

On the night, Vasco were led on the touchline by assistant Marcelo Salles, with Bruno Lazaroni alongside, while Renato stayed in Rio de Janeiro with other players.

The choice was framed as a technical decision, pre-agreed after the FIFA international window, that Vasco would start mostly reserves in the Sudamericana regardless of interim results.

Renato indicated he wanted to remain in the city to stay close to the core starters after Saturday’s defeat to Botafogo. With a long trip and Remo to visit in Belém on Saturday in the Brasileirão, staff and board chose to prioritise the domestic competition.

Had he travelled to Buenos Aires, he would have missed Monday’s session at Boca Juniors’ training centre and matchday work on Tuesday. He instead kept a full week with most starters to address improvements and fitness.

The 63-year-old took a similar approach last year at Fluminense, skipping a Sudamericana group match against Union Española in Chile. Late on Tuesday, his daughter Carol Portaluppi posted on social media that he was watching the game at home in Rio.

Source: Globo.com