Paulo Henrique doubtful for Botafogo as Puma Rodríguez form intensifies Vasco battle | OneFootball

Paulo Henrique is a doubt for Botafogo as he nurses a left foot issue, while Puma Rodríguez’s scoring form has sharpened competition at right back for Vasco.

He has missed the last three games but is in the final phase of recovery and has rejoined group training. According to Globo.com, Fernando Diniz hopes to have him back soon.

Rodríguez has three goals already this season and scored at São Januário in the 1-1 Brasileirão draw with Chapecoense, making him Vasco’s leading scorer under Diniz in 2026. The right flank has not been problematic in PH’s absence.

Vasco are managing the defender cautiously to avoid a recurrence early in the campaign. The club use custom insoles from a specialist partner for treatment and prevention, which have helped reduce his discomfort. He remains a doubt for Sunday’s Botafogo meeting, the final round of the Taça Guanabara.

Results data underline PH’s impact in the league. Since 2025 he has played 28 Brasileirão matches for Vasco, with 11 wins, six draws and 11 defeats, a 46.4% return. Without him, Vasco have two wins, one draw and nine losses, a 19.4% return.

This season Diniz has been without PH in the first two league outings, yielding one defeat and one draw against Mirassol and Chapecoense. Voted the Brasileirão’s best right back in 2025, he has attracted interest from two European clubs and one from Saudi Arabia, with talks ongoing and no progress so far. He is under contract until December 2028.

Source: Globo.com