Vasco and Fluminense open the semifinal dispute of Copa of Brasil 2025 this Thursday, December 11th, at 8 pm (Brasília time). The first game pits Cruzmaltino as home team against Tricolor, who are looking for a place in the final of the national tournament. The live broadcast takes place on sportv, Premiere and Amazon Prime, with real-time coverage on ge.
Defender The official lineup comes out one hour before the match. Vasco arrives under pressure from poor results in the national championship, while Flu maintains an undefeated streak.
- Broadcast on closed channels: sportv and Premiere for subscribers across the country.
- Streaming option: Amazon Prime with access via app or website.
- Digital monitoring: ge with minute-by-minute updates and videos of the main bids.
Streaming and access options
Sportv dedicates an exclusive team to narrate Rio classics on Maracanã. Assinantes pay TV channels access the game in high definition in the basic packages.
Escalation of Fluminense with Thiago Silva
Zubeldía aligns Fábio; Samuel Xavier, Thiago Silva, Freytes and Renê; Martinelli, Hércules and Lucho Acosta; Soteldo, Serna and Everaldo. Thiago Silva appears as a starter alongside Freytes in the line of three defenders.
The midfield with Martinelli and Hércules anchors the marking against Coutinho. The attack seeks speed with Soteldo and Serna on the wings.
Absences include Canobbio due to suspension and Cano with a right knee injury. Manoel continues to recover from a problem with his left knee.
Recent training has tested quick transitions to explore spaces in Vasco. Fluminense eliminated Palmeiras on aggregate 4-2 in the quarterfinals.
Recent status of Vasco
Cruzmaltino finished Brasileirão with seven defeats in the final eight games. The 5-0 defeat by Atlético-MG in the final round increased the pressure.
Fernando Diniz bets on the cast’s reaction to the final stretch of Copa of Brasil. The club has been seeking the title since 2011 with the support of the local fans.
Philippe Coutinho returns after suspension and reinforces creation. The team prioritizes possession of the ball to put pressure on the Tricolor defense.
Premiere provides pay-per-view with tactical analysis and multiple cameras. The platform covers all phases of Copa to Brasil 2025 in full.
Fluminense related list
Tricolor confirmed the players available for the clash. Goleiros: Fábio, Marcelo Pitaluga and Vitor Eudes.
Defenders: Freytes, Guga, Ignácio, Renê, Samuel Xavier, Thiago Santos and Meias: Hércules, Jhon Arias, Martinelli, Nonato and Paulo Henrique Ganso.
Attackers: Everaldo, Kevin Serna, Keno, Soteldo and Yeferson Soteldo. Thiago Silva is part of the group and should form a central duo in defense.
Arbitration for the first duel
Raphael Claus takes over the main whistle at the stadium. The São Paulo referee records 15 games during the season with an average of 4.2 cards per game.
Danilo Ricardo Simon Manis acts as assistant 1. Alex Ang Ribeiro covers auxiliary line 2.
Daniel Nobre Bins manages the VAR in the cockpit. Alex Gomes Stefano serves as fourth official on the field.
Role of Thiago Silva in the tricolor defense
Thiago Silva, aged 40, leads the Fluminense defense with experience in knockout stages. The defender contributed with 12 tackles and 85% pass accuracy in Brasileirão.
His presence in the likely lineup guarantees solidity, especially after the seven-game unbeaten run. The team conceded just five goals in Copa from Brasil until the quarter-finals.
Luis Zubeldía prioritizes defensive compaction to contain the Vasco attack. Thiago Silva trained as captain and focuses on aerial balls against Rayan and Gómez.
Absences and probable formation in Vasco
Diniz scales Léo Jardim; Paulo Henrique, Cuesta, Robert Renan and Puma Rodríguez; Thiago Mendes, Barros and Coutinho; Nuno Moreira, Andrés Gómez and Rayan. Lucas Piton is absent due to a knee injury, out of the rest of the season.
Jair treats a knee problem and Adson tibial fracture. Garré makes a physical transition and was not called up.
The coach emphasized high marking in collectives for the classic. Rayan gains space with speed on counterattacks.
Historical balance in the confrontation
The rivals faced each other three times in 2025, with two victories for Tricolor and one for Vasco. Fluminense won the first round of Brasileirão 2-1.
Vasco reacted in the return with 2-0 over the opponent. Pela Copa of Brasil, the history shows balance in previous editions.
Maracanã welcomes the game with the expectation of a full house for the Vasco team. The return duel takes place on Sunday, December 14th, at 8:30 pm, in the same location.
