Fluminense will play a Copa Libertadores match at the Maracaná five months after having won this title there for the first time in its history. In front will be Colo Colo (Chile), who has just won at home in the debut against Cerro Porteño (Paraguay) and who has two old Flu rivals on his team.
The Chilean team, which is seventh in the local league, is led by Jorge Almirón. The Argentine was the coach of Boca Juniors (Argentina) in the final of the last edition of the continental competition that the Rio team won.
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Another opponent with more history of rivalry is Arturo Vidal, who in the 2022/2023 season wore the shirt of Flamengo, the classic rival. Those led by Fernando Diniz snatched the final of last year’s Carioca Championship from King Arturo.
🎵 MEU CORAÇÃO ACELERA
VENDO O MARACA CANTAR 🎵É #DIADEFLU! É DIA DE @LIBERTADORESBR NO MARACA! ÀS 21H, O CAMPEÃO DA AMÉRICA ENFRENTA O COLO COLO-CHI! VAMOS VENCER, NENSEEEEEEE! 🇭🇺🇭🇺🇭🇺🇭🇺🇭🇺 pic.twitter.com/DZD6U82GEt
— Fluminense F.C. (@FluminenseFC) April 9, 2024
Fluminense recovers several footballers
In the first match of the group stage, the defending champions drew 1-1 in Peru against Alianza Lima. Diniz did not have some of his figures such as Germán Cano and Ganso, already recovered from their injuries, while John Kennedy and Diogo Barbosa remain suspended.
Renato Augusto, who withdrew from the duel against Alianza Lima due to physical discomfort, is a doubt. Quite a problem for Flu, which hosts Bragantino on Saturday in its debut at the Brasileirão.
¡A conquistar el 𝑴𝑨𝑹𝑨𝑪𝑨𝑵𝑨́! ⚪️⚫️
¡Vamos por la 𝑮𝑳𝑶𝑹𝑰𝑨 𝑬𝑻𝑬𝑹𝑵𝑨! 🏆🤟🏼 pic.twitter.com/MuGdnZuzQc— Colo-Colo (@ColoColo) April 9, 2024
For its part, for today’s match at 9 p.m. (Brasília time) with arbitration by Jesús Valenzuela (Venezuela), Colo Colo’s main unknown is the presence of central defender Maximiliano Falcón. The Uruguayan was injured in his debut against Cerro Porteño, although he showed great progress.
