Vasco to play Carioca semi-final with Bruno Lazaroni, no new head coach | OneFootball

Vasco will face Fluminense in Sunday’s Carioca semi-final second leg with Bruno Lazaroni in charge, even if a new manager is hired this weekend.

The board had aimed to appoint a successor to Fernando Diniz for the game, but that plan has fallen through, according to Globo.com.

Lazaroni, the permanent assistant, already took charge in Thursday’s 2-1 defeat to Santos.

Club figures say they want a swift resolution, but not at any cost.

The delay, close to a week, reflects an ambitious target. The dream appointment is Artur Jorge, who, after initial contact, indicated he wants to remain at Al-Rayyan and honour his contract in Qatar.

He is open to returning to Brazilian football in future, but prefers an elite project that regularly competes for titles. Despite the initial setback, president Pedrinho continues to pursue the appointment.

That focus on a marquee name has slowed a quick fix. As talks centred on Artur Jorge, more formal conversations with others were largely paused, with Marcelo Gallardo and Renato Gaúcho among those sounded out.

Vasco trail 1-0 from the first leg. They must win by two goals to progress, while a one-goal win would take it to penalties.

Source: Globo.com