The Brazilian press have taken on a far more critical stance when evaluating Crystal Palace loanee Matheus França’s stint at Vasco da Gama. The scrutiny ramped up following the club’s loss in the Brazilian Cup final on Sunday.
The young midfielder was introduced after the interval, once again deployed away from his preferred attacking position, and produced a disappointing showing that further fuelled doubts surrounding his development.
“Risky decision” and growing scepticism
Journalist Venê Casagrande delivered a frank verdict on the situation. In his opinion, the midfielder made a “risky decision” by opting for a loan return to Brazilian football with Vasco.
Casagrande went on to suggest that the odds of the move working out were always limited and warned that França could end up heading back to Crystal Palace with his value diminished even further.
Those comments followed immediately after the cup final defeat, giving extra weight to the criticism. França was brought on in the second half and once again operated as a central midfielder.
Brazilian reports portrayed the display as emblematic of his ongoing difficulties throughout the campaign.
Fitness struggles didn’t help
There is also significant background to consider when assessing his struggles. França was coming back from a serious injury and did so under the management of Fernando Diniz.
In Brazil, Diniz is renowned for his demanding emphasis on physical intensity. He expects relentless movement, pressing, and strict tactical adherence. He is also known for reshaping players to suit his philosophy. For someone still rebuilding sharpness and self-belief, this setup has been particularly harsh.
França’s loan spell appears to be a combination of unfortunate timing, physical setbacks, and tactical uncertainty. Crystal Palace likely anticipated that he would rediscover form in attacking roles. Instead, Vasco experimented with him in deeper midfield positions during a chaotic period for the side.
Now that the Brazilian season has concluded, the verdict has become increasingly apparent. Despite his loan running until July 2026, Vasco supporters are calling for his immediate departure.
As things stand, it is fair to suggest França will find it difficult to carve out a role at Crystal Palace upon his return. With confidence fragile and progress stalled, his prospects in London look uncertain at best.