Vasco’s head coach, Renato Gaúcho, highlighted his team’s attitude following a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Athletico-PR on Sunday at São Januário. After the match, the coach emphasized the squad’s commitment and stated that the spirit displayed on the pitch is exactly what supporters expect to witness.
“When I arrived, I said I wanted, at the very least, my group to have a lot of passion. I won’t tire of repeating that word. It’s this commitment, this passion they show on the field that the fans want to see,” Renato declared.
Renato assessed that Vasco controlled the game from the opening minutes and praised the team’s rise in the Brasileirão standings. “We played a good game from the start. We created chances, had the desire to win that I always ask of them, and didn’t give the opponent any opportunities. With great determination, we managed to move out of the danger zone,” he analyzed.
The coach also set his sights on bigger goals for the remainder of the championship and demanded consistency from the squad. “Against the top five teams, we had four wins and one draw, but we can’t be Robin Hood—taking from the big teams and giving to the smaller ones. We need this run to fight for bigger things, at least a Copa Libertadores spot,” he added.
Regarding specific player situations, Renato explained the choices in the lineup. “Adson was out for almost two years recovering from an injury. It’s tough to come back after such a long time. Even if he could play the full match, sometimes you need to make substitutions, otherwise you wouldn’t need reserves. When the opponent started growing on that side, I had to change. The most important thing was the players’ commitment. This win puts us in 8th place, and that’s what matters most.”
On fielding Adson, Andrés, and Rojas together: “The lineup depends heavily on the opponent and what we need. I knew Athletico-PR played with three center-backs and two full-backs. Nothing better than having a player who can dribble and take on opponents one-on-one. But it really depends on what we need and the opponent. It’s impossible to field the same team every three days. I rotate to bring fresh energy and rest some players.”
Regarding Spinelli and Thiago Mendes: “Both were very good today. Spinelli did exactly what I ask from an attacker: hold the ball up front, win fouls, fight with the defenders—he did that very well. The Argentine has that grit. He was great, just like Thiago, but I don’t like talking about individual players. I prefer to talk about the group. My whole team played well today. Two or three players were above average, but everyone performed.”
Analyzing the team’s performance: “The result might sometimes be negative, but what cannot happen is giving up the fight. That’s what I demand from my group, regardless of who starts or which competition it is. This desire is essential.”
