Hugo Moura benched at Vasco, Diniz explains decision | OneFootball

From absolute starter to a bench option. This has been the new phase for Hugo Moura at Vasco. The midfielder, who played in almost every match of the season, lost his spot after being sent off against Fortaleza and has been starting games on the bench under Fernando Diniz's command.

Since then, Hugo has been on the bench for matches against Bragantino, São Paulo, and Botafogo. Against the São Paulo team, he didn't even step onto the field. In the other two, he was only brought on when the score was already decided.

When asked about the absence of the midfielder and the search for greater defensive solidity, Diniz stated that the team's problem is not just about Hugo Moura's presence or absence. The coach praised Tchê Tchê, the current starter in the position, and explained that the team needs to find a balance between marking and creativity.

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Hugo Moura in action for Vasco in the Brasileirão — Photo: Thiago Ribeiro/AGIF

– At any moment they can play together. We don't concede goals just because of Hugo Moura's absence. The team doesn't just live on support. The player in the position is Tchê Tchê. Nothing prevents Barros and Hugo from playing together. Against Fortaleza, Hugo was sent off, Tchê Tchê played well, and we had support with one less player. Today we opened up the midfield, and that weighed in — stated Diniz.

During Vasco's good moment in the Brasileirão, Barros and Hugo Moura formed the starting duo in the midfield, responsible for providing physical strength and balance. With this formation, the team drew with Flamengo and defeated Cruzeiro and Bahia. But the midfielder's performance dropped in the following matches against Palmeiras, Vitória — when he was improvised in defense — and Fortaleza, where he was sent off in the first half.

– Nothing prevents using Barros and Hugo. Tchê Tchê was doing very well before the injury. Barros came in very well. Hugo was doing very well. If he hadn't been sent off, maybe they would still be the duo. But if we don't create and lack speed, they will blame Hugo. It wasn't just one piece that caused the team to lose support — added the coach.

Diniz also emphasized that Hugo Moura is a player more focused on defense, who rarely goes beyond the ball line. The coach denied that the presence of Tchê Tchê or Matheus França disorganized the team in the 3-0 defeat to Botafogo and highlighted that the problem was collective, especially in defensive transitions.

– Hugo Moura is also not a player who pushes forward much. Sometimes, when the team is well-positioned, he can project himself, but that's not his profile. In the second goal, we were disorganized, with the defenders pulled back and some players out of position — he explained.

Even with the temporary loss of space, Hugo Moura remains one of the most utilized players in the squad: he is the third with the most games for Vasco in 2025, with 54 matches, behind only Léo Jardim (57) and Vegetti (55).

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Photo: Matheus Lima/Vasco.

Before the expulsion against Fortaleza, the midfielder had only been out due to suspension, pre-season, or being rested. He was a substitute at the end of Felipe Loureiro's interim period but returned to the starting lineup with Diniz's arrival, playing both as a midfielder and a defender until the signings of Cuesta and Robert Renan.

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