Vasco's No 10 benched? Johan Rojas sends online message

In partnership with

Papo na Colina

·2 April 2026

Vasco's No 10 benched? Johan Rojas sends online message

Midfielder Johan Rojas caught the attention of the Vasco fans on Thursday morning (02). After the frustrating 1-1 draw against Coritiba at Couto Pereira Stadium, in a match valid for the Brazilian Championship, the player used Instagram to make an enigmatic post.

Without getting any minutes on the pitch by choice of coach Renato Gaúcho, the Colombian shared a photo of his jersey after the end of the round.

Video OneFootball

+ Focus on the derby! Renato approves of Vasco’s performance and dismisses excuses: “Thinking big”

The No. 10 shirt and the wait for chances at Vasco

In the image reposted by Johan Rojas on his stories, the Cruz-Maltino kit with the historic number 10 appears hanging in the locker room. To accompany the photo, the player chose only two emojis to illustrate his feelings: hands in a prayer gesture and an hourglass. The visual combination was quickly interpreted as a message that he is still waiting for his time and his opportunity in the Vasco team.

The player was not used during the second half in the south of the country, even with the clear need to hold the ball in the attacking half to avoid the opponent’s strong pressure. Vasco’s tactical choice did not include the playmaker, which ended up causing the team to drop deep and resulting in the painful equalizer in stoppage time.

Johan Rojas’ post – Photo: Instagram reproduction

Renato Gaúcho’s press conference and his message to the Vasco squad

Right after the match, Renato Gaúcho spoke to the press and explained his way of managing Vasco’s group of players. Speaking about the absence of some pieces and the use of substitutes, he sent a direct message to everyone:

“I’m not a coach who likes to complain about absences. I have a squad and I trust everyone. Not everyone will be able to play every match. I ask the players to stay ready because opportunities will come. I would like to count on everyone, but that’s not always possible.”

The manager also made a point of backing the players who were chosen to come on during the 90 minutes, positively assessing the collective performance given the difficulties of playing away from home:

“Those who came on today did everything well. We let the win slip away at the very end, but it’s very difficult to play here against Coritiba. I knew they would come at us, but in the end we really could have left with all three points, but at least we put one more point in the bag.”