- The 24-year-old Argentine midfielder joined from Argentinos Juniors on September 9 and scored twice in his first four Brasileirão appearances.
- Since his arrival, Vasco da Gama have gone five matches unbeaten, with four wins and one draw, as they prepare to face Boca Juniors in the Semifinals.
Alan Lescano watched the CONMEBOL Sudamericana Quarterfinals from the stands at São Januário. On September 15, when Vasco da Gama defeated Santa Fe 2-0 thanks to goals from Bruno Duarte and David and reached a continental Semifinal for the first time since 2011, the club's most expensive signing of the latest transfer window had yet to be included in their registered squad for the competition. The Rio de Janeiro side had officially unveiled him just a week earlier, but he had to wait until the Semifinals against Boca Juniors to be registered.
The investment reflects the expectations. Vasco secured the services of one of Argentine football's most outstanding and consistent performers. Under contract until December 2029, Lescano chose the number 22 shirt. He became the club's fifth signing of the transfer window, following Santiago Sosa, Facundo Colidio — who will be unavailable for the tie —, Bruno Duarte and Gabriel Pereira. São Paulo and even Boca Juniors had also shown interest, but he ultimately joined the ‘Gigante da Colina’.
The 24-year-old, nicknamed ‘Pipa’, was born on November 11, 2001, in San Carlos de Bolívar, Buenos Aires Province. A left-footed player, he came through the youth ranks at Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata, where he made his first-team debut on April 30, 2022, in a 6-0 victory over Patronato. “Maradona promoted me to Gimnasia's first team,” he recalled during his unveiling at Vasco. He joined Argentinos Juniors in July 2023 and went on to become the team's captain and number 10, making 123 appearances, scoring 27 goals and providing nine assists. His farewell to La Paternal came with a parting gift for the fans who had enjoyed watching him over three years: a perfectly struck left-footed free-kick into the top corner against Aldosivi, in the seventh round of the Torneo Clausura.
Globo Esporte described him as a “modern attacking midfielder”: he can operate as a playmaker or a box-to-box midfielder, possesses a dangerous long-range shot and is a set-piece specialist. Lescano himself explained his qualities to the Rio de Janeiro media a few days ago: “I'm a creative player. I like getting into the box and scoring goals. I've always played as a central midfielder and can also play in a two-man midfield, but where I feel most comfortable is in the middle, as an attacking midfielder.” Or, as this type of player with a distinctive footballing DNA is known in Argentina: a traditional enganche. He also had a message for the supporters: “You're getting a player who will give everything on the pitch to try to take the club as high as possible.”
His first appearances justified the faith placed in him. On September 12, in Porto Alegre, Lescano came off the bench in the second half and sparked the move that led to Thiago Mendes' equalizer with a backheel pass. Vasco went on to win 2-1, ending a 20-year winless run in the city. “I've only just arrived, but fortunately I've found a really good group,” said the Argentine, who also revealed the advice Portuguese coach Pedro Emanuel had given him: “He told me to stay calm, not to get carried away, and that adapting would take some time.” On September 19, in the 5-0 victory over Coritiba at São Januário, he earned his first start in place of the suspended Tchê Tchê. He made the most of it: winning a penalty, stepping up to convert it for his first Vasco goal and creating two clear-cut chances.
His adaptation continued with another decisive contribution. On October 7, Lescano scored again in a 2-1 victory over Botafogo, this time finishing off a move after an assist from Bruno Duarte, taking his tally to two goals in his first three Brasileirão appearances. Three days later, he started again in the goalless draw against Remo at São Januário. The Argentine therefore headed into the CONMEBOL Sudamericana Semifinals with four appearances, three starts, two goals and an unbeaten personal record of three wins and one draw.
Emanuel sees Lescano as part of a three-man midfield alongside fellow new signing Santiago Sosa and Thiago Mendes. He is the missing piece for a team that reached the Semifinals after finishing second in Group G behind Olimpia, eliminating Independiente Medellín in the Playoffs, defeating Olimpia themselves in the Round of 16 with a 4-1 victory in the second leg, and overcoming Santa Fe in the Quarterfinals without conceding a goal across the tie.
Boca, a club that once dreamed of bringing the playmaker to La Ribera, await him at La Bombonera on October 13, with the return leg scheduled for October 20 at a venue yet to be confirmed. Lescano has been familiar with the Xeneize since breaking into Argentine top-flight football. “We're going to approach the game the way we have been playing. Obviously, Leandro (Paredes) being unavailable will be significant because we know how important he is to Boca and the way they play. We have to try to make the most of that, because Boca are losing a great player,” he said ahead of what promises to be an exciting first leg.
