Vasco Da Gama vs Cruzeiro lands on Saturday at 21:20 in São Januário, a league meeting that carries weight at both ends of the table. It is the 25ª rodada of the Campeonato Brasileiro, and Premiere will show it live while ge follows the action in Tempo Real.
The timing matters because Vasco need points now. They are 19th with 23 points from 23 games and are still trying to climb out of the Z-4, even after beating Vitória in São Januário in the first leg of the Copa do Brasil quarterfinals. Cruzeiro arrive in a very different mood, fifth with 39 points, two less than Fluminense, and riding four consecutive wins in the league after beating Flamengo in their most recent match.
Robert Renan is the clearest absence on the Vasco side. He is suspended and is expected to be replaced by Lucas Freitas, which is a notable change because he had been in the side in every game under Pedro Emanuel until now. That shift fits into a wider picture for Vasco, where Ramon Rique and Adson compete for a place against Tchê Tchê and Spinelli, while Jair and Mateus Carvalho are also out and Thiago Mendes and Tchê Tchê are listed as pending suspension.
Vasco’s probable lineup points to Léo Jardim, Paulo Henrique, Cuesta, Lucas Freitas, Cuiabano, Sosa, Tchê Tchê, Thiago Mendes, Andrés Gómez, Colidio and Adson. Cruzeiro also have a shaped-up team sheet, with Otávio, William, João Marcelo, Jonathan Jesus, Villalba, Gabriel Rojas, Zé Lucas, Matheus Henrique, Lucas Silva, Kaique Kenji, João Costa and Néiser Villarreal in the probable XI. They will be without Fabrício Bruno, who is suspended, while Bruno Rodrigues, Gabriel Pec and Sinisterra are injured. Kauã Moraes, Lucas Silva, Lucas Villalba, Otávio and Wesley are on the edge of suspension.
There is still a gap between what is listed and what Pedro Emanuel and the Cruzeiro staff actually choose at kickoff. Vasco’s recent cup win has not changed the league pressure on them, and the home side cannot afford another night that leaves them stuck in 19th. For Cruzeiro, the reward is simpler: keep the run alive and stay in the G-4 chase when the whistle goes at 21:20 on Saturday.
