Vasco lose in Copa Sul-Americana, Renato: “Fans need to choose”

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Papo na Colina

·15 aprile 2026

Vasco lose in Copa Sul-Americana, Renato: “Fans need to choose”

Tuesday night (15) was one of great frustration for Vasco. The Cruz-Maltino side suffered a painful 2-1 comeback defeat to Audax Italiano right at São Januário stadium, in a match valid for the Copa Sudamericana.

The team fielded a reserve lineup and even took the lead, but watched everything fall apart after the controversial red cards shown to midfielder JP and center-back Carlos Cuesta. In the post-match press conference, coach Renato Gaúcho did not hold back in criticizing Uruguayan referee Hernan Heras and took a swipe at the continental confederation.

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Outrage at the refereeing and irony toward Conmebol

The Vasco manager recalled the disciplinary proceedings opened by Conmebol against him the previous week to express his indignation. Renato questioned the body’s stance:

“Will Conmebol raise its voice at today’s referee? Or are they going to raise it at me?”

The coach argued that the sending-off of the young midfielder in the first half was a serious mistake, saying that the player himself had been fouled in the play. He said the refereeing ruined the tactical plan by leaving the team a man down, but agreed with the fans and president Pedrinho, admitting that the team needed to have performed better on the pitch:

“You can always expect a little more from each player, and as a result the team can improve. These mid-year signings have to be specific, decisive players who come in and put on the shirt ready to play. They are key players in certain areas, and we’ve been exchanging ideas to strengthen our squad. And by winning games and playing well, every player can always give a little more. All of them. Of course we can improve, but we’re racing against time — every three days there’s travel and two competitions, which makes it difficult.”

Vasco coach reinforces focus on the Brasileirão

Despite the setback, which marked the team’s fifth straight game without a win, Vasco’s coach was emphatic in defending the decision to use a mixed lineup. He stressed that the season’s absolute priority is the Brazilian Championship. He used a direct argument to justify rotating the squad:

“I understand the fans. Fans are driven by passion everywhere — they pay for a ticket and want to see the team win. But this is my view: you have the Sudamericana and the Brazilian Championship. You can’t have both. Does the fan want the team to advance in the Sudamericana and end up in the relegation zone of the Brazilian Championship? That’s the question the fan has to ask. There’s no point in fielding the same team every three days — I was a player. If I field the same team, we’ll lose in the Brazilian Championship and in the Sudamericana. I know the fans get upset, but they have to ask themselves that question (…) The Sudamericana doesn’t relegate anyone. The Brazilian Championship does.”

To calm tempers in the stands, the coach asked for patience and looked ahead to the mid-year transfer window. Renato Gaúcho revealed that he has already aligned with the board on the need for targeted signings of decisive players. The squad now turns its full attention to the tough clash next Saturday against São Paulo, once again in Rio de Janeiro, this time for the Brazilian Championship.

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