In a historic night for Fluminense and one to be forgotten by São Paulo, Tricolor from Rio defeated their rival 6-0 at the Maracanã stadium, this Thursday (27), in the 36th round of the Brazilian Championship, and guaranteed a place in the Copa Libertadores da América 2026.
This was the biggest defeat in the confrontation between the clubs, equaling the same score as in 2002, but with São Paulo’s victory.
With the result, Fluminense momentarily rose to fifth place, with 58 points, and opened ten points to São Paulo, in eighth place. Therefore, as there are only two rounds left until the end of the competition, Flu can no longer leave the G-7, the group that guarantees classification for the continental tournament.
Coach Hernán Crespo’s team entered the field with 15 absences, 13 of which were due to injury and goalkeeper Rafael and defender Sabino were suspended. And despite the painful defeat, the group still dreams of a place in the pre-Libertadores. But, to do so, they need to finish in eighth place in the Brazilian Championship and hope for Fluminense or Cruzeiro to win the Copa do Brasil. In this way, the G-7 would become G-8, paving the way for the São Paulo team.
In the next round, Flu returns to the field next Tuesday (2), at 9:30 pm, to face Grêmio in Porto Alegre, and São Paulo hosts Internacional the following day, at 8 pm, in Vila Belmiro, where they are playing their games when the Morumbis stadium hosts shows.
After the match, defender Luiz Gustavo spared no criticism of his team’s defeat and asked members of the club, without naming names, to take responsibility for Tricolor’s poor results this season.
“I’m a guy who since I was born I’ve learned to be honest, nothing is by chance, today it wasn’t by chance. São Paulo is an institution that I learned to love, but unfortunately we have to start telling the truth. People have to come and assume some situations, we’re out here showing our face”, he said in the interview with SporTV.
“It’s our fault. We, the players, who did the shit we did today, sorry for the word, but I think this club is a very big club, a club that deserves once and for all to start having a direction, a clear plan, what we want from the beginning to the end of a season, what we want as people here at this club”, he continued.
In the end, he still needled the board when asking for action to improve the club.
“I’m a person who lives to improve, to evolve. I hope this club evolves. A passionate club, a giant club, much bigger than anyone else here, but it really needs people to dot their i’s so that this club continues to evolve as everyone expects”, he added.
The goals of the match were scored by Canobbio (two), Martinelli, Nonato, John Kennedy and Serna. The duel was completely dominated by Fluminense. After nine minutes, Alan Franco put his hand on the ball and the referee awarded a penalty after consulting the VAR. Canobbio opened the scoring. In the next 15 minutes, Flu scored twice more, with Martinelli and Nonato.
In the second half, the host did not slow down and scored three more, with John Kennedy, Canobbio and Serna, completing the rout.
