Fluminense suffered a 2-0 defeat to Bolívar on Thursday night, in a match valid for the third round of the Libertadores group stage. The duel, held at Estádio Hernando Siles, at La Paz, left the Rio club in a critical situation in the continental tournament. With the result, the Brazilian team fell to the bottom of Grupo C. The current performance is just 11% after three matches played.
The altitude of 3,600 meters directly influenced the tactical behavior of the squad led by Luis Zubeldía. The coach chose to abandon the characteristic high marking to try to preserve the athletes’ breath in the rarefied air. Essa change caused the team to hand over possession of the ball to the opponent. Sem controlled the game, Fluminense finished just six times, while the Bolivians kicked 14 balls at Fábio’s goal.
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Physical Desgaste and expulsion of Bernal increase difficulties in Bolívia
The technical difficulty scenario was worsened by a numerical disadvantage at the beginning of the second stage. Midfielder Bernal received the red card and left Fluminense with one player less for almost the entire remaining time. The expulsion forced an even greater retreat of the defensive lines. Robson Matheus, highlight of the night, scored both goals of the match due to poor positioning by the Tricolor defense.
Fluminense’s initial lineup featured important changes in an attempt to withstand the physical pressure:
- Fábio (goalkeeper with record number of games in the competition)
- Guga, Ignácio, Freytes and Renê
- Bernal, Hércules and Savarino
- Canobbio, Serna and Castillo
The defense formed by Ignácio and Freytes showed slowness in the first goal, scored after a cross from the left side. Mesmo with the arrivals of John Kennedy and Soteldo in the second half, the team was unable to threaten Bolívar’s goal. The renewed energy from the substitutions was not enough to reverse the general apathy shown on the field.
Zubeldía projects recovery and guarantees place in the round of 16
Apesar of negative numbers and the last position in the bracket, coach Luis Zubeldía demonstrated optimism at the press conference. The commander stated that the group has the technical quality to reverse the situation in the next clashes. Atualmente, Fluminense only have one point, the result of a draw and two consecutive defeats away from home. The coach minimized the immediate statistical impact and focused on the squad’s ability to react.
The strategy now necessarily involves victories in the remaining clashes to avoid early elimination. The next match will be against Independiente Rivadavia, the team that leads the group with 100% success so far. Fluminense will have the advantage of ending the group stage with two consecutive matches at Maracanã. Para the technical committee, the home factor will be the difference in seeking classification.
Histórico from Fábio and the club’s next steps in the tournament
One of the few individual highlights was the milestone achieved by goalkeeper Fábio. Ele isolated himself as the athlete with the most matches played in the history of Copa Libertadores. Entretanto, the personal best was overshadowed by the below-average collective performance. The delegation returned to Rio from Janeiro under pressure from the fans due to the lack of goals and the defensive fragility shown at altitude.
- Próximo game: Independiente Rivadavia (outside)
- Sequência decisive: Dois final games in Maracanã
- Objetivo: Alcançar second place to advance to the knockout stages
- Necessidade: Vencer at least two of the remaining three games
The board and technical committee are now evaluating the squad’s wear and tear for the next rounds of Campeonato Brasileiro and Libertadores itself. The defeat at Bolívia raised the alarm about the depth of the bench and tactical adaptation in adverse conditions. Sem room for new stumbles, the club seeks to adjust the defense that proved to be static in the decisive plays in La Paz.