Botafogo vs Vasco – News and Probable Lineups

With the Brasileirao Serie A resuming after the international break, Botafogo and Vasco da Gama are set to clash on Wednesday morning at the Estadio Nilton Santos.

The home side has been struggling for form recently and will enter this midweek matchup seeking to regain some momentum. In contrast, Vasco da Gama has shown improved performance lately, aiming for their fourth consecutive win since October 2025.

Match overview

The recently concluded international break provided a necessary pause for Botafogo, who experienced a disappointing 2-0 loss to Mirassol at the Estadio Jose Maria de Campos Maia on September 19.

Three days after narrowly securing a 3-2 triumph over Gremio at the Estadio Nilton Santos that ended their six-match winless streak in the league, Botafogo squandered chances in Mirassol, with Eduardo scoring twice in the first half to seal the victory for the home team.

As a result of this disappointing streak, Botafogo has fallen out of the continental qualifying positions and currently sits 12th in the Serie A table with 35 points from 28 matches, just one point behind Sao Paulo, who occupy the final Copa Sudamericana qualifying spot in 11th.

Botafogo has not struggled to find the net with 41 goals scored, but defensive issues have plagued them as they have conceded 45 goals, with only the bottom two teams, Remo (47) and Chapecoense (53), allowing more goals.

Looking to bounce back positively after the international break, Botafogo can take solace from their strong home form, being unbeaten in nine of their last ten home fixtures across all competitions since May 7, with five wins and four draws.

Meanwhile, Vasco da Gama delivered an outstanding team performance just before the break, securing a remarkable 5-0 win against Coritiba at the Estadio Sao Januario on September 20.

Five players found the net for the home team: Facundo Colidio, Bruno Duarte, Alan Lescano, Andres Gomez, and Ramon Rique each contributed to the scoreline, highlighting an impressive collective effort in overcoming Coritiba.

This impressive display followed their 2-0 win against Independiente Santa Fe on September 15, which gave them a 4-0 aggregate success in the Copa Sudamericana quarter-finals, earning them a spot in the semi-finals for the first time since 2011.

Pedro Emanuel’s side heads into Wednesday’s encounter on a winning streak of three matches and are unbeaten in seven of their last eight outings across all competitions, claiming six victories and one draw since August 27.

This resurgence in form has allowed Vasco da Gama to climb out of the relegation zone, sitting comfortably in 16th place in the Serie A standings with 31 points from 27 games, just two points clear of 17th-placed Gremio, having a game in hand.

Team News

Botafogo will be without the injured Jordânia Barrera, who has not featured in any of the last nine matches since sustaining an ankle injury against Fluminense on August 9.

Joining him on the sidelines is Kaio Pantaleao, who is still recovering from a serious knee injury picked up in October 2025.

Matheus Martins, who has missed the last five fixtures since getting injured against Athletico Paranaense on August 25, remains a significant doubt for Wednesday’s fixture.

Vasco da Gama also face their own injury issues, with Matheus Carvalho and 26-year-old Brenner both dealing with knee injuries.

Colombian international Andres Gomez will miss the match for the Gigante da Colina due to suspension after receiving a yellow card against Coritiba on September 20.

Botafogo probable starting XI:

Baptist; Vitinho, Ferraresi, Monzon, Telles; Medina, Huguinho, Santos, Montoro; Cabral, Pereira

Vasco da Gama probable starting XI:

Garden; Pinton, Renan, Cuesta, Henrique; Sosa; Colidio, Mendes Tche, Hinestroza; Duarte

With their fortunes reversing in recent weeks, Vasco da Gama will aim to continue their momentum from before the break as they seek to distance themselves from the relegation zone. Botafogo has proven to be a difficult opponent at home this season; however, we expect the Gigante da Colina to muster enough effort for a draw at the Estadio Nilton Santos.