Eyes on the derby! Renato backs Vasco, no excuses: “Thinking big”

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Papo na Colina

·02 de abril de 2026

Eyes on the derby! Renato backs Vasco, no excuses: “Thinking big”

Vasco came very close to securing another win, but ended up conceding a 1-1 draw to Coritiba on the night of this past Wednesday (01). After the final whistle at Couto Pereira Stadium, head coach Renato Gaúcho spoke at a press conference and gave his view of the team’s performance. Asked about the long list of absences in the starting lineup, the manager downplayed those missing and praised the commitment of the players who were on the pitch.

The experienced coach did not use the medical issues as an excuse and explained his thinking about the squad’s strength:

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“I’m not a coach who likes to complain about missing players. I have a group 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’d like to have everyone available, but that’s not always possible.”

Despite regretting the points dropped along the way, Renato praised the team’s effort away from home:

“Whoever came in today did everything right. We let the win slip away right at the 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. At least we’re taking one more point home with us.”

+ Unbeaten under Renato, Vasco has a mission to stop the bleeding in defense

Vasco’s drop in performance and stoppage-time goals

The Cruz-Maltino side opened the scoring through Tchê Tchê in the first half, but lost physical strength over the course of the 90 minutes and faced an incredibly similar scenario to the match against Cruzeiro at the Mineirão. The manager assessed both halves of the game:

“We knew the match would be difficult. We had some good chances in the first half. Coritiba were a little better in the second, but the game was under control. We could have left with all three points. Once again we conceded at the end, the same way we did against Cruzeiro. But the team fought and behaved well. We have our own way of playing regardless of the opponent.”

The frustration over the late equalizer was reinforced in the coach’s remarks:

“In the first half, we controlled the game, especially in midfield. We created chances and scored. In the second half, we knew Coritiba would open up and go all or nothing. We handled ourselves well, but unfortunately we conceded right at the end. It leaves that feeling of sadness. We could have left with three points instead of one.”

Vasco coach gives instructions to his team during the match in Curitiba – Photo: Reproduction

Vasco’s path ahead for the derby and parallel tournaments

The schedule will give Vasco no rest, as they return to the pitch next Saturday (04) to face Botafogo at São Januário in the 10th round of the Brazilian Championship. After that, the team will travel to Argentina, where they will face Barracas Central in Buenos Aires on Tuesday (07). Renato made it clear that the priority is the state rival and promised to consult president Pedrinho about rotating the squad:

“I’m thinking about the Botafogo match. There’s no point thinking about the Copa Sudamericana right now. We have Botafogo first. After that, I’ll decide the best option. We have a game against Botafogo on Saturday night, then we travel to Argentina on Sunday, and after that we’ll cross Brazil to face Remo. Let’s take it step by step. I always say that four or five heads think better than one. I talk a lot with Pedrinho and the board. I’ll say it again: the decision will be made after the game against Botafogo.”

In his fifth match in charge, Vasco’s coach celebrated the outstanding run (11 points won out of 15 available) that lifted the team off the bottom of the table:

“We always work to get wins. We’ve had little time to work, despite the FIFA break. Even so, the team is performing and playing well. We’ve picked up hugely important points. Out of the 15 points we’ve played for, we’ve taken 11. That’s a very good number. We always think big. Thinking big means aiming for the top part of the table.”

Closing the press conference, he recalled the team’s recent past:

“When I arrived, Vasco were bottom. Today we let the standings slip a little, but we gained a point and that gives confidence to the group. The important thing is not to lose. Of course, it leaves the feeling that we could have come away with more, but it’s always difficult to play away from home, and every round is a final. I’m very satisfied with what the group is doing; everyone can see our growth. We’re thinking big.”

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