Oscar’s return: São Paulo prioritise full recovery after scare | OneFootball

The São Paulo board has left it up to midfielder Oscar to decide when and how to return to training after the 34-year-old player was discharged from the hospital on Sunday morning (16th).

The number 8 had been hospitalized in a hospital in the west zone of São Paulo since Tuesday afternoon (11th), after experiencing a complication with cardiac alterations during exams conducted at the Barra Funda training center. Oscar even fainted and lost consciousness during a physical evaluation activity.

An extensive investigation conducted at the hospital confirmed that the player had an episode of vasovagal syncope. Stable and clinically well throughout his hospitalization, the athlete will follow a medical rest protocol for the next few days.

After the scare, there is a consensus within Tricolor that there is no rush or pressure for their midfielder’s return. Oscar will stay away from work for as long as he deems necessary and will have the club’s full support in his decision.

The same applies to his future. São Paulo’s executives have not discussed the topic of retirement with the number 8 at any point. Officially or not, the stance remains the same: Oscar has a contract until the end of 2027, and the priority now is his recovery, both physical and emotional, and the decision is strictly personal.

On São Paulo’s part, the order is to continue with the contract as is, with no changes to clauses or values.

“He has two more years on his contract and we’ll give him as much time as he needs for his recovery and to think about what’s best for him. The important thing is that it wasn’t anything serious and he’s already with his family. Our priority is to see him well. There’s no reason for any discussion beyond that. Above all, we respect what Oscar means and his importance to São Paulo,” said a source from São Paulo’s football leadership to AVANTE MEU TRICOLOR, who asked not to be identified.

Signed at the beginning of the season, Oscar has two goals and five assists in the 21 matches he played for São Paulo. Sources close to the player consulted by the report indicate that the family’s request is for him to hang up his boots. But the topic has not been discussed further since he was discharged, as a way to avoid pressuring him.

THE ILLNESS

Vasovagal syncope is a common fainting episode caused by an exaggerated reaction of the vagus nerve to a trigger, such as standing for a long time, emotional stress, seeing blood, physical exertion, or feeling hot. This causes a temporary drop in heart rate and blood pressure, resulting in loss of consciousness. Warning symptoms may include weakness, paleness, sweating, dizziness, and nausea.

Considered a problem that is usually easy to treat, doctors prescribe lifestyle changes, such as improving hydration, moderating salt intake, avoiding going too long without meals, avoiding emotional triggers, and even using compression stockings to help with blood circulation. Medication is only prescribed in severe cases.

The concerning aspect, speaking from Oscar’s professional perspective, is that there is a medical recommendation to avoid standing for long periods during recovery. In other words, simply put, the midfielder is barred from training or performing his profession for a period after being discharged.

“Obviously I don’t know the case in depth, but from a distance, considering Oscar’s profession, the recommendation is prolonged rest with short periods of physical activity in the first months. But more detailed exams would be needed to know if circulation is affected,” explained cardiologist Ricardo Neves, professor at the Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul and member of the South Mato Grosso Academy of Medicine, to AVANTE MEU TRICOLOR.

In the bulletin released by the Morumbi club, it is stated that Oscar will undergo an electrophysiological study. Neves explains that the result will be decisive in determining whether the player can return to physical activities in a short period of time.

“This is not related to whether or not he continues his career, but rather to a short-term return to training and games. It’s important to emphasize that,” Neves added.

Also according to the cardiologist, it is a circulatory problem that does not have a direct connection to any heart issue. “It does not mean that the person has heart failure or another cardiac problem that would prevent them from living their life normally,” he pointed out.

PLAYER REASSURES FANS

The attacking midfielder Oscar spoke out for the first time after being hospitalized on Tuesday (11th) for experiencing a complication with cardiac alterations during São Paulo’s physical tests at the Barra Funda training center.

Through his social media, the number 8 sought to reassure fans and supporters, who were anxious about the news.

“Thank you very much for the messages and prayers. Everything will be fine, God willing,” he wrote.

Since the news of his hospitalization broke, Oscar has been receiving numerous messages of support from São Paulo fans and even from supporters of other clubs. Fans of Internacional, a club he also played for in Brazil, even posted videos praying for the player’s recovery.

Reassured by the board, who visited Oscar throughout Tuesday, São Paulo players are expected to visit their teammate at the hospital this afternoon. According to AVANTE MEU TRICOLOR, Oscar even made a video call with all the players, who were deeply concerned about what had happened.

THE CASE

Hospitalized in a São Paulo hospital after suffering a complication with cardiac alterations, midfielder Oscar is expected to terminate his contract with São Paulo after being discharged and officially announce his retirement.

The information was confirmed to AVANTE MEU TRICOLOR by three sources: one from the upper echelons of São Paulo football and two close to the 34-year-old player, who has not played since the victory over Corinthians in the Brazilian Championship on July 19.

According to AMT, it was right after that match that the number 8 underwent evaluation exams for a fracture of three lumbar vertebrae, which revealed heart problems. At that time, at Oscar’s own request, the case was not made public, becoming information shared off the record by doctors and spread only by São Paulo influencer pages.

Meanwhile, Oscar continued a routine of monitoring exams that indicated improvement in his clinical condition and allowed him to be cleared to train with the squad. But the number 8 ended up getting injured again, suffering a muscle injury in his left calf.

Oscar then consulted Hernán Crespo’s staff to understand the next steps. He was advised to first understand his case before making a decision. Shaken by criticism from fans, questions about his high salary, and reassured by exams that indicated improvement in his clinical condition, the number 8 then gave up on his family’s request for him to retire.

This morning, however, Oscar fainted during physical tests and left the Barra Funda training center by ambulance. The incident shocked everyone present, from players to staff.

The number 8 remains hospitalized awaiting test results that will allow doctors to determine the origin of the cardiac alteration. But his condition is stable.

As per usual procedure and respecting the player’s privacy, new information will be released as soon as there is an update from the medical team, in agreement with Oscar.

THE NUMBER 8’S BAD LUCK AND THE CHALLENGE TO REGAIN IDOL STATUS

As AMT revealed three weeks ago, the internal mood at São Paulo was already pessimistic about Oscar’s contribution to the team in this final stretch of the Brazilian Championship, in which the team is fighting for a spot in the next edition of the Copa Libertadores.

Even before the new injury, there was already internal caution at Morumbi regarding their player. Oscar has not played for Tricolor since the victory over Corinthians at Morumbi on July 19, in the Brazilian Championship. On that occasion, the midfielder suffered a fracture of three lumbar vertebrae and missed 16 matches while recovering from the injury.

In the last two games, the number 8 was listed by coach Hernán Crespo but ended up not playing, still lacking better physical condition. It is yet another chapter in the attacking midfielder’s history of disappointments since his return to São Paulo after 15 years.

In practical and absolute numbers, Oscar suffered his fifth injury since the start of the year. This equals the total number of injuries he suffered in the 12 years he spent abroad, between 2012 and 2024, with Chelsea in England and Shanghai Port in China.

Adding up the four previous injuries, the number 8 spent 175 days recovering, available for 30 of the 57 matches played by the club this season. He played in 23 matches, starting in nineteen and only playing the full ninety minutes in nine. In total, he spent 1,591 minutes on the field, equivalent to 31% of the team’s total playing time.

This is such a low rate that any debate about the exact value of his salary becomes irrelevant: it doesn’t matter if it’s closer to one million reais or three million, the cost-benefit is poor in any scenario, except perhaps if the contract were for a newly promoted youth player.

And it sparks internal debates at Morumbi. According to AMT, there are quite a few people close to president Julio Casares who advocate for an amicable contract termination with the player for next year, easing the payroll. The topic, however, is currently avoided by the football management.

In a press conference, Casares believes that Oscar’s signing, under the terms agreed, was carried out responsibly. São Paulo shares the responsibility of paying the player’s salary with Superbet, the club’s main sponsor.

“I believe that Oscar, like other players, was a responsible signing. When Oscar chose São Paulo, he was wanted by two other major clubs in Brazil. The fact that he got injured is part of the sporting landscape, as other players also have such incidents. We hope he will be in our squad recovering and can bring the joy for which he was signed,” he said.

“He was signed with a partnership in which a little less than half was provided by the sponsor. All this assures us that the renewal with Superbet also contributed to Oscar’s arrival. I believe Oscar’s arrival was highly responsible, as have all our signings. Obviously, some don’t work out immediately. The less obvious ones work out over time, like the case of Marcos Antonio. Signings are subjective. Time’s dynamics answer the question of hits and misses, which sometimes depend on other factors,” the president continued.

Oscar has become the portrait of what São Paulo swore to avoid: high investment and low return from names that symbolize the past. The recent history of players returning from China already indicated the risk: Alexandre Pato, Éder Citadini, Hernanes, and Miranda had stints well below expectations—and of those, only Pato escaped frequent injuries.

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