Crisis backstage! Vasco barred Renato Gaúcho over live sacking fears | OneFootball

Vasco adopted a drastic behind-the-scenes strategy by barring coach Renato Gaúcho from Sunday’s (24) press conference, with the direct aim of preventing him from resigning live in front of reporters. According to information revealed by journalist Joana Assis on the Tá On program on SporTV this past Monday (25), the manager did in fact place his job at the board’s disposal as soon as he arrived in the locker room at São Januário.

The institutional atmosphere at the Rio club plunged into crisis after the heavy 3-0 defeat to Red Bull Bragantino, a result that extended a very poor run in the 2026 season, which had begun with the thrashing suffered against Internacional and the loss to Olimpia.

The top brass of Vasco’s football department acted under the shadow of a historic episode involving the coach himself in the past, when he was in charge of rivals Fluminense. On that occasion, acting in the heat of the moment, he publicly stepped down during the official press statement, a decision he later said he regretted in interviews.

To prevent that impulsive scene from being repeated in the corridors of São Januário, club officials chose to send executive director Admar Lopes and defensive midfielder Thiago Mendes to the press room, trying to soften the impact of the sporting embarrassment before national public opinion.

+ “We take the blame”: Admar Lopes and Thiago Mendes reveal behind-the-scenes details and defend Renato Gaúcho at Vasco

Assaults and coaching continuity

The fury of the organized supporters reached its peak during the second half of the Brazilian Championship clash, turning the stadium into a warlike scene against the coaching staff. Several water and beer bottles were thrown toward the manager in the technical area, causing him to suffer direct physical aggression coming from the social seating section. The coach even confronted the fans, gesturing and questioning whether their complaints were serious, and was harshly cursed at with obscene language before taking shelter on the bench at São Januário.

Despite the heavy psychological impact suffered by everyone involved in the political turmoil, Renato Gaúcho’s staff and Vasco’s press office confirmed that he remains in charge of the team. The coach reported as normal on Monday afternoon to lead the squad’s training session at the training center. The coaching staff received assurances from the club’s board that it will have the necessary calm to continue its strategic planning in the upcoming rounds of the national tournament.

Vasco’s South American decision

The group of players is trying to quickly turn the page on the protests and focus on next Wednesday’s (27) decisive clash in the continental tournament. Vasco currently sits second in its group standings with 7 points, behind leaders Olimpia. The home match against Barracas Central has become a sporting obligation for Renato Gaúcho’s men, who need a win to secure qualification without depending on tiebreaker criteria.

The coach’s stay in the role is guaranteed at least until next weekend, when the first team will have another important home fixture in the Brazilian Championship against Atlético Mineiro. Vasco’s football committee knows that another home defeat could make the coaching staff’s continuation completely unsustainable before the deliberative council. The squad’s leaders, headed by Thiago Mendes, are demanding a display of pride from the players to halt the technical crisis and restore the trust of Vasco supporters.

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