Vasco lose two starters ahead of Fluminense clash | OneFootball

Vasco will have two major absences for the match against Fluminense in the semifinals of the Campeonato Carioca. Midfielder Thiago Mendes and playmaker Philippe Coutinho are out of the derby.

Coutinho is no longer part of the Cruzmaltino squad. The number 10 requested a contract termination and has officially left the club, leaving both a technical and leadership gap in the group.

Meanwhile, Thiago Mendes was diagnosed with a knee injury after feeling pain during the week at the Moacyr Barbosa Training Center. Although tests ruled out a serious problem, the midfielder was ruled out by the medical department and will not be able to play in the first leg. Nevertheless, the player was cut from this Sunday’s match (22).

There is no set return date, and the medical department will monitor his clinical progress in the coming days. Thiago Mendes left the training center using protection on the affected knee.

The first leg will take place at 6 p.m. at Nilton Santos Stadium. The return match will be held on March 1st, also at 6 p.m., at Maracanã Stadium.

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Photo: Matheus Lima/Vasco.

Important Absence for Fernando Diniz in Midfield

The absence of Thiago Mendes is a significant blow for coach Fernando Diniz. The midfielder became a key player in Vasco’s system after a period of adaptation and earned the status of undisputed starter in the final stretch of last season’s Campeonato Brasileiro.

With physical improvement and consistent performances, the midfielder established himself as a balancing element between defense and attack, being fundamental in ball distribution and defensive recovery.

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Thiago Mendes, Vasco — Photo: Matheus Lima/Vasco

Without him, Diniz will have to look for alternatives to maintain the sector’s consistency in one of the most important matches of the season so far.

The focus now is on the recovery time and the possibility of a return for the decisive second leg, depending on the player’s response to treatment.

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