Fluminense is in serious trouble this year, and they do kinda deserve relegation after having returning to the 1st division through political prestidigitation when the Joao Havelange Cup was announced. Having said that, they do have better human resources than Vasco, even if the competitive team that had a good Libertadores campaign earlier this year was disassembled. But what a bizarre year 2008 has been for Fluminense's fans...! They went from the promise of continental bliss to the brink of domestic relegation in only a few months, and I can only imagine how confusing it must be for them.
About Vasco... they're in deep sh!t indeed, regardless of having beaten Fluminense yesterday. Their squad is irregular and divided, with a small handful of good players like Leandro Amaral, Madson and Wagner Diniz surrounded by too many guys who have no idea what to do with the ball, and at least one troublemaking veteran whose name shall diplomatically go unmentioned. For the first time in years I honestly can say that I would like Vasco to avoid relegation, though, as it would be sad to see their new president Roberto Dinamite be dragged down by the quagmire that Eurico Miranda oozed into existence.
The full extent of the damage that Eurico inflicted on the club is still being verified, but most of their sources of income were bled dry by Miranda before Roberto took office and their youth divisions were plundered by agents linked to the previous president. Will Roberto manage to avoid a relegation that Eurico would inevitably blame him for, unfair as that may sound? I hope so, but wouldn't bet a cent on it.
So I voted that only Flu will fall, not because I really believe that Vasco can escape relegation, but because I HOPE they do. Roberto Dinamite will have enough problems rebuilding the club as it is, and I'm really hoping he pulls it off - because if he fails, Eurico may yet return to Vasco, which would be bad for Carioca football as a whole.
