Academy youngsters impress, Vojvoda eyes homegrown solutions | OneFootball

Last Sunday, Santos drew 0-0 against Fluminense at Vila Belmiro, in a match valid for the 22nd round of the Brazilian Championship. Coach Juan Pablo Vojvoda prioritized the experience of some players over some youngsters in his debut for Peixe.

In defense, Zé Ivaldo replaced Luisão. The youngster Souza, for example, lost his spot in the starting lineup to Escobar, a familiar face to the coach from his Fortaleza days. In midfield, Bontempo was benched so that the duo Zé Rafael and Tomás Rincón could play.

Souza and Bontempo had been starters for Santos under former coach Cleber Xavier. Robson Júnior, or Robinho Jr., even came on as a substitute in the second half on a few occasions. What stood out was that, against Fluminense, none of them were even called upon by Vojvoda.

Robinho Jr., in fact, was requested by the Santos fans in the second half, but Vojvoda did not heed the call. The Argentine coach made it clear that he likes all three of Peixe’s gems, but decided to prioritize experience in his first game in charge.

“I like all three [Souza, Bontempo, and Robinho Jr.]. Souza is a player we know… when I faced him, he was a very strong player, with a lot of power to make runs, technically good. But we knew we were coming off two consecutive losses, so I needed to secure the defensive side. With Juninho, I’m talking to him and I’m close to him as well. As for Bontempo, I started the week with him in my plans, but he felt a slight discomfort during the week,” said Vojvoda.

Youth players should continue to get opportunities

Although they were not used in the debut, Vojvoda plans to continue using Santos’ academy players for the remainder of the season. The coach indicated that, in the near future, the Meninos da Vila will have more opportunities.

In addition to Bontempo, Souza, and Robinho Jr., Santos also has other youngsters in the squad training with the first team. These include center-back João Ananias and defensive midfielder Hyan, who made his first-team debut last year.

“I’ll need everyone, and up until the last moment I had doubts. The academy boys will have chances and options with me, rest assured. I’m already starting to understand what Santos is, because the first question is always about the academy boys [laughs],” the coach added.

The FIFA break, in fact, is an opportunity for Vojvoda to get to know and better understand the characteristics of Santos’ young players. The Argentine will have about 11 days to prepare Peixe for the match against Atlético-MG, valid for the 23rd round of the Brasileirão.

Gabriel Bontempo’s numbers for Santos’ first team

Bontempo started the season playing in the Copinha for Santos and was later promoted to the first team. The midfielder earned a starting spot midway through the Paulista, but returned to the bench during Cleber Xavier’s tenure. Only in the final stretch did he return to the starting eleven.

Souza’s numbers for Santos’ first team

Souza began the year without many opportunities at Santos, but was a bet by Cleber Xavier upon his arrival at Peixe. The Menino da Vila established himself in the starting lineup. However, like any young player, he has been inconsistent recently and was benched against Bahia and Fluminense.

Robinho Jr.’s numbers for Santos’ first team

Robinho Jr., meanwhile, made his first-team debut for Santos this season. The youngster came on in the second half of the match against Fluminense and played around 25 minutes. He is being guided and closely watched by Neymar, who is a close friend of his father.

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