Without the number 10, Vasco’s coach has at least four options to choose the team’s lineup against Bahia, on Sunday, in El Salvador.
November 21
2025
– 07:06
(Updated at 7:06 a.m.)
Without Coutinho suspended for a third yellow card, coach Fernando Diniz will have to rack his brains to find a replacement. After all, the number 10 has been on the pitch for Vasco’s last 23 games and plays an integral role in setting up plays. So it won’t be that simple.
However, Vasco has some players in his squad who can perform the same tasks as Coutinho. Thus, Nuno Moreira and Matheus France emerge as the main options, but the Portuguese is the favourite.
This is because Nuno Moreira has been chosen by Diniz the last four times Coutinho has missed Vasco. This happened in July, when the number 10 injured his calf. In this way, Nuno started playing in the midfield position, with David being used as a winger on the left flank.
But at the time, Vasco still lacked the reinforcements from the second net that increased the range of attacking options. Next appears Matheus França, who has not yet been named as a starter. If selected, Nuno Moreira will remain in his original position, open on the left. It is also not ruled out that the two will exchange positions, as France also plays as a winger.
Vegetti maintenance
With the return of Andres Gomez from Colombia, Diniz has another option to play for Vasco without Coutinho. The coach could move the winger to the left, pull Nuno Moreira inside and keep Ryan on the right. This way, Vegeti will remain in the starting lineup.
This hypothesis would be a “safety ball” for Fernando Diniz, considering that everyone is used to the last ownership, a circumstance that Matheus França has not yet experienced. However, this choice is a bet on what has not worked out recently.
However, these options will be tested in training on Friday. It is true that Vasco needs to improve. After all, the team lost in the last four rounds and is going through its worst moment in the Brazilian championship.
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