Vasco da Gama will open its Copa Sudamericana campaign against Barracas Central in Argentina on Tuesday, April 8, but it will do so with a sub-20 team. Renato Gaúcho will not travel with the squad, and Marcelo Salas will be in charge as the second assistant coach.
The trip underlines how thin the delegation will be: only three players in the group have already made their first-division debuts. The decision comes as Vasco turns its attention to the Brazilian league and tries to avoid exposing players to possible injuries or the long hours of travel that would follow.
That schedule is part of the problem. After facing Barracas in Argentina, Vasco must cross Brazil to Belém for a match against Remo, a demanding route that left the club with little appetite for risk. Renato stayed behind to train with his main referents, leaving the youth-heavy squad to handle a continental debut that comes one day before Olimpia opens its own tournament campaign.
Barracas is one of Vasco’s rivals in the group, but the larger picture is hard to miss: the club is treating this opening match as secondary to the domestic season. For now, Renato’s message is clear. The priority is to protect the squad, even if that means sending a young team into the Sudamericana spotlight.
