Matheus França uses international break to work on his fitness

Attacking midfielder Matheus França, the only signing from the last transfer window without a chance to start as a regular, took advantage of the FIFA break to intensify his physical training at Vasco.

Since his arrival, the player has yet to be included in the starting eleven, but the board sees this period as a natural phase for his readaptation.

In addition to França, the club signed Andrés Gómez, Carlos Cuesta, Robert Renan, and Thiago Mendes, as well as Barros, who returned early from his loan at América-MG.

Among them, Matheus França has accumulated the fewest minutes on the field, playing mostly in the second half as he seeks to regain match fitness after a spell with few games in Europe.

The expectations surrounding Matheus França stem from his performances in the youth ranks and at Flamengo, where he was considered one of the top prospects of his generation.

At Vasco, he has the trust of Fernando Diniz, Pedrinho, and Felipe, who were instrumental in his signing.

At Crystal Palace, França had limited playing time due to a history of injuries, including groin and rib problems. His last run of four consecutive matches for the English club was in January 2024.

The Vasco coaching staff understands that this readaptation phase is natural. The player arrived out of rhythm, and the club has been taking a gradual approach to avoid overloading him.

The FIFA break is seen as an opportunity to intensify physical training and bring França closer to a starting spot.

Since joining the club, the midfielder has suffered only one ankle sprain, which kept him out of the match against Palmeiras.

So far, he has played in six matches without scoring, but stood out by converting a decisive penalty against Botafogo, sending the team to the semifinals of the Copa do Brasil.

In the last match, a 4-3 win over Vitória, he came on in the 32nd minute of the second half, replacing Barros and helping to secure the result.

With Coutinho and Nuno Moreira racking up games, the break could be crucial for França to improve his fitness and get closer to earning a spot among the starters.

Vasco will have decisive matches in the Brazilian Championship in October: after the FIFA break, they face Fortaleza, Fluminense, and Bragantino, all important games in the fight for positions in the standings.

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

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