Tricolor defends perfect start at home under Zubeldia, while rivals in Bahia have been rapidly moving away from Salvador since August
December 5
2025
– 9:15 pm
(Updated at 9:15 p.m.)
The decisive clash in the final round of the Brazilian League, scheduled for next Sunday (12/07), will bring together two teams with completely contrasting records at this stage of the season. Fluminense hosts Bahia at the Maracanã, betting all its cards on the ground factor to guarantee its direct place in the Libertadores. Steel Squadron, in turn, arrives in Rio de Janeiro bearing an uncomfortable burden: the team has not known what it means to win away from home in the national championship for more than three months.
The last time Bahia won three points as a visitor in the Brazilian League was on August 16. On that occasion, the team led by Rogerio Ceni beat Corinthians 2-1 in Sao Paulo. Since then, performances away from the Fonte Nova Arena have declined. The team’s stumbles accumulated and its position in the table stagnated. The only exception in this period occurred in the Nordesti Cup final, when they beat Confianca-SE 4-1 in the first match, but this result is not counted in the Serie A statistics, which increases the pressure on the team to finish the year.
Fluminense turns the Maracanã into a castle
On the other hand, Fluminense turned the Maracana into a real fortress under the leadership of Luis Zubeldia. Tricolor goes through an amazing sequence in front of its fans. The team has won its last eight consecutive home matches, creating an atmosphere of unwavering confidence. In addition to the effective attack, which scored 17 goals in this period, the defense also stands out. They have conceded only one goal in this run of victories, and that came from a penalty kick in the classic match against Flamengo.
This discrepancy in moments determines the partiality of the confrontation. Fluminense, which depends only on itself to secure fifth place and escape from the preliminary stage of the Libertadores Championship, enjoys tremendous support from the stands. Bahia, which is trying to end the competition in a dignified manner, will need to break the psychological and technical barrier that has persisted for almost an entire round. Hence, the match promises to be a final test of the guests’ resilience and the home team’s strength.
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