Santos avoid late embarrassment in final match without Zé Rafael | OneFootball

The Santos team will have a significant absence in the match against Botafogo in the Brasileirão. The midfielder Zé Rafael, one of the pillars of the team led by Juan Pablo Vojvoda, is out due to injury — and the most recent memory of a game without him serves as a warning: the last time Peixe played without the midfielder, they almost lost to the bottom team Sport, drawing 2-2 at the Ilha do Retiro.

Read more: All Santos news

Hard-fought draw without the midfielder

Without Zé Rafael, Santos struggled to maintain control of the midfield and only reacted at the end of the match against Sport. The Pernambuco team took a 2-0 lead, with goals from Derik Lacerda and Lucas Lima, but Peixe managed to draw in the final minutes, with Gabriel Bontempo and João Basso.

📊 Sport 2 x 2 Santos ⚽ 4’ Derik Lacerda (Sport) ⚽ 69’ Lucas Lima (Sport) ⚽ 79’ Gabriel Bontempo (Santos) ⚽ 88’ João Basso (Santos) Halftime: 1–0 for Sport

Bontempo and Victor Hugo compete for a spot

For the match against Botafogo, Juan Pablo Vojvoda is considering two options to replace Zé Rafael: Gabriel Bontempo, who scored one of the goals against Sport, and the young Victor Hugo, who offers greater attacking capability.

While Bontempo brings more defensive consistency and marking, Victor Hugo represents an alternative for mobility and vertical passing in the midfield.

Vojvoda's choice will likely depend on the tactical plan: if the coach seeks to strengthen the marking against an offensive opponent, Bontempo should get the spot; if he wants more possession and quick transition, Victor Hugo is the favorite.

Zé Rafael, a pillar and a missed presence

Since arriving at Vila Belmiro, Zé Rafael has played 20 games, with 7 wins, 6 draws, and 7 losses. He had 11 consecutive matches before the injury, establishing himself as a tactical cornerstone of the team.

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