Vacancy at Libertadores guarantees millions in coffers and eases Fluminense schedule

Fluminense takes the field this Sunday (12/07) with a mission that goes far beyond adding three points. The confrontation against Bahia, at the Maracanã, defines the entire program for the 2026 season. The board of directors and the technical committee know that guaranteeing a direct place in the group stage of the Libertadores transforms the reality of the club, both at the financial level and in the physical management of the squad. Botafogo’s draw in the previous round left the fate in the hands of the Tricolor: a simple victory ensures fifth place and all the benefits that come with it.

The first major impact is budgetary. Direct sorting offers a guarantee of immediate income. Conmebol paid around $3 million (around 17 million reais) to the clubs just for their participation in the group stage in 2025, in addition to prizes for winning. The trend indicates that these values ​​will increase. With this guaranteed money, the football department gains security to negotiate major reinforcements. On the other hand, the withdrawal of the “Pre-Libertadores” forces the club to slow down investments, because the big budget will only arrive if the team survives the first round of 16.

Fluminense considers the match as a final

The logistical challenge weighs as much as the money. The Brazilian football schedule rarely allows for a respite, and skipping steps becomes a crucial strategic advantage. If it advances directly to the groups, Fluminense will only make its debut in the continental competition in the week of April 7. This gives Luis Zubeldía’s coaches almost two additional months to prepare the team, gather reinforcements and recover the athletes.

However, if you have to participate in the preliminary phase, the scenario changes dramatically. The first would take place during the week of February 17. This anticipation would force the board to expedite signings and skip preseason steps. In addition, avoiding the preliminary phase means sparing the team four high-tension knockout matches. The club would thus gain two free weeks (basic dates of February 18 and March 4) for training, something rare and precious. The match against Bahia is therefore considered a real final in Laranjeiras.

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