Vasco’s fringe fail in Sudamericana as Ramon Rique stands out | OneFootball

Vasco’s fringe failed to convince in the Copa Sudamericana, and a 3-1 loss to Olimpia left them in trouble. The rotation plan yielded few positives, with 18-year-old Ramon Rique the exception.

According to Globo.com, the coaching staff viewed Rique’s involvement across three matches as a plus. He started both meetings with Olimpia and came on during second half of the win over Audax Italiano.

His displays earned integration into the senior squad. He then played two Brasileiro games, a win over Athletico and a 4-1 defeat to Internacional, where he assisted Vasco’s only goal.

Rique has climbed Renato’s midfield pecking order, ahead of JP, who began on the bench in the last two Sudamericana games. The tournament was never a priority, and the staff again used reserves and under-20s.

Beyond Rique, the auditions delivered little. Marino Hinestroza and Nuno Moreira played all five ties but fluctuated, and Brenner failed to convince, at times behind David and Spinelli for starts.

Defensive issues alarmed. Cuesta and Lucas Freitas struggled against Olimpia, and all three Paraguayan goals came from aerial play. When starting, Saldivia was unconvincing, and in Chile he scored an own goal with Daniel Fuzato involved in the 2-1 win over Audax Italiano.

An academy graduate, Rique signed his first professional deal last year, initially to 2026 with an option to September 2029, which the club triggered. His clause is 60 million euros, R$ 346 million. He began as a left midfielder, then moved deeper and is now a youth reference.

Source: Globo.com