The Copa Libertadores heats up with an all-Brazilian quarter-final clash on Thursday night as defending champions Fluminense face off against Atletico Mineiro at Estadio Maracana.
Fluminense are aiming to become only the second team in two decades to successfully defend their Libertadores title. Despite a tough domestic season, they performed well in the group stage, collecting 14 points and advancing past Grêmio in the Round of 16 with two 2-1 wins before edging out on penalties.
Atlético Mineiro also showed their strength in the tournament, winning five out of six group-stage games. They secured a tight 1-0 win at home after a 1-1 draw away to eliminate San Lorenzo in the Round of 16.
Following their historic Copa Libertadores triumph last season, Fluminense have struggled to maintain the same level of performance, particularly in their domestic league campaign.
New coach Mano Menezes was brought in to steady the ship, and his impact has been noticeable, securing seven wins, four draws, and five losses in his first 16 games.
However, Fluminense will be missing key players for this crucial first-leg quarter-final, with Lele, Diogo Barbosa, and Ignacio all sidelined due to injuries.
FLUMINENSE predicted lineup vs ATLETICO MINEIRO: Fabio (GK); Xavier, Silva, Santos, Marcelo; Bernal, Nonato, Ganso, Serna; Arias, Elias.
Atletico Mineiro also made a coaching switch this season, parting ways with Luiz Felipe Scolari and bringing in Argentine coach Gabriel Milito to lead the team.
In the group stages, Mineiro recorded three wins, a draw, and two losses, securing their place in the knockout rounds alongside Athletico Paranaense. They then edged past San Lorenzo with a narrow 1-0 victory in the home leg of their round of 16 matchup.
For this quarter-final, Mineiro will be missing four key players: Matias Zaracho, out for the season after hernia surgery, along with Alisson (hamstring), Eduardo Vargas (calf), and Otavio (shoulder), though Otavio is expected to return for the second leg.
ATLETICO MINEIRO predicted lineup vs FLUMINENSE: Everson (GK); Saravia, Battaglia, Alonso, Arana; Vera, Franco, Scarpa, Bernard, Gomes; Deyverson.
Fluminense have had the upper hand against Atlético Mineiro in this year's domestic league, claiming four out of six possible points. Their recent encounters have been evenly matched, though, with both sides winning two games each and drawing twice in their last six meetings since June 2022.
Interestingly, those matches have been goal-filled affairs, with 20 goals shared evenly between them—10 for Fluminense (Tricolor) and 10 for Atlético Mineiro (Galo), averaging 3.33 goals per game.
Their most recent clash was on August 25, 2024, when Fluminense secured a solid 2-0 away victory in Serie A. Despite dominating possession with 60% and firing 19 shots, Atlético Mineiro failed to register a single shot on target. Meanwhile, Fluminense capitalized on their chances, scoring through Kevin Serna in the 23rd minute and Jhon Arias in the 59th, sealing the win.
With this backdrop, Thursday’s Libertadores quarter-final clash promises to be another tightly contested affair, where both teams will aim to outdo each other, given their balanced history.
