In a head-to-head clash for a place in the Libertadores group stage, Fluminense and Bahia will face each other on Sunday (7), at 4pm (Brasilia time), at the Maracanã, in matchday 38 of the Brazilian League. Having already qualified for the continental competition, the tri-colour team is looking to escape the preliminary stage. Therefore, the calculation is very simple: just win so you don’t depend on any other result. This way, it’s all or nothing.
Fluminense occupies fifth place with 61 points, and relies only on itself to guarantee its direct place in the group stage of the Libertadores. To do this, just beat the Bahia at home. In fact, Tricolor can qualify even in default. In this scenario, you have to hope that Botafogo doesn’t beat Fortaleza, on the same day and time, at the Estadio Nilton Santos. The squadron, in turn, needs victory.
Where to watch
The match will be broadcast on SporTV (closed TV) and Premiere (pay-per-view).
How to reach Fluminense
Unbeaten in six matches, Fluminense arrive ready to take on the action. With 100% success at the Maracanã as the host team under coach Luis Zubeldia, Tricolor will seek to capitalize on the field leadership to confirm the direct classification. In fact, the Warrior team relies only on itself to escape the initial stage. All they need to do is win at home, which they have done in the last eight games.
In the last six matches of the season, Fluminense won four and tied two. In this sequence, they beat champions Flamengo and edition sensation Mirasol, as well as beating Sao Paulo 6-0. Most recently, they achieved their first win as visitors under Luis Zubeldia after defeating Gremio 2-1 in Porto Alegre. So, Tricolor is reaching a great stage.
In the match against Bahia, coach Luis Zubeldia will return to Canobbio, who was suspended in the previous round. In fact, the Uruguayan was replaced very well by Sotildo, who scored both goals in the win over Gremio. Thus, the Argentine coach will have the maximum strength to face Bahia. After all, Thiago Silva and Hercules should also return to the starting lineup after being rested.
How to reach Bahia?
After qualifying for the Copa Libertadores, Bahia wants a place in the group stage. To do that, they must beat Fluminense at the Maracanã. However, the last memory against the opponent in the same stage is not the best. After all, there, Esquadrao de Aço suffered elimination in the quarter-finals of the Copa do Brasil after losing 2-0.
At the 2025 Brazilian Championship, Bahia achieved the second-highest score for a team from the northeast of the country, behind only Fortaleza, who scored 68 points last year. After the victory over Sport, last Wednesday (3), coach Rogerio Ceni asked the players for “character and courage” to win the direct point. This is because the coach was upset by the missed opportunities.
For the match against Fluminense, Bahia will have maximum strength. However, they will have to deal with the offenses away from home. After all, so far, there have been 18 matches, three wins, six draws and nine defeats as a visitor. Therefore, to get a direct place, Esquadrao de Aço will have to follow the coach’s advice and change its position.
Fluminense
Brazilian Championship – Round 38
Date and time: 12/07/2025 at 4pm (Brasilia time)
location: Maracanã, Rio de Janeiro (RJ)
Fluminense: Fabio; Samuel Xavier, Thiago Silva, Fritz and Rene; Martinelli, Hercules and Lucio Acosta; Cannobio, Serna and Everaldo. idiomatic: Luis Zubeldia
Bahia: Ronaldo; Arias, Cano, Mingo and Luciano Guba; Acevedo, Rodrigo Nestor and Everton Ribeiro; Ademir, Willian Jose, and Eric Bulga. idiomatic: Rogerio Ceni
arbitrator: Mateus Delgado Candankan (SP)
Helpers: Thiago Americano Lapis (SC) and Leandro Matos Feitosa (SP)
Video Assistant Referee: Emerson de Almeida Ferreira (MG)
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