Vasco boss hits back 🗣️ "Unfair to criticise reserve team" | OneFootball

Vasco da Gama has a date with destiny next Thursday (11), when they face Fluminense in the semifinals of the Copa do Brasil. It was with this date and opponent in mind that coach Fernando Diniz chose to field an entirely reserve team in the heavy defeat to Atlético-MG.

In the post-game press conference, the coach was adamant in defending his choice, arguing that criticism based solely on the final result of the Brasileirão is a superficial analysis that ignores the importance of the decisive classic.

+ Vasco's coach loses patience, argues with reporter and says he is "outraged"

The invisible risk and divided focus at Vasco

For Diniz, the problem of fielding the starters at Arena MRV went far beyond physical wear; it involved the mental aspect and the unacceptable risk of losing key players for the game of the year against the Tricolor. The coach was direct in questioning the press about the psychological commitment the athletes would have in a game that mattered less than Thursday's decision.

He suggested that the defeat could happen even with full strength due to the lack of total focus and the concern with the next game:

"What if we bring Rayan and he gets injured?"

The central point of Diniz's defense was the preservation of the physical integrity of his key players. He used specific names to illustrate the catastrophic scenario he tried to avoid before the duel against Fluminense and was visibly bothered by the "hindsight engineering" of the criticisms:

Diniz concluded the matter by demanding consistency in the analyses, pointing out that judgment after the fact ignores the variables the coaching staff needs to manage daily.

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