Head-over after two defeats in a row, Fluminense will host this Sunday, October 29, Bahia, in a match for the thirty-first round of the Brazilian Championship in its 2017 edition. Scheduled to start at 17h (Brasília time), the tricolores threatened by relegation happens in Maracanã, Rio de Janeiro.
Fluminense’s recent performance
The stadium was the same scenario as the seventh Fla-Flu of the year on the night of Wednesday, October 25. By the quarterfinals of the South American Cup, Fluminense were defeated by 1 to 0 and was in delicate situation in the dispute. He will have to reverse the handicap next Wednesday, November 1, also in Maracanã.
This has made the Rio tricolor have to use in moderation its cast, which presents both technical and numerical weaknesses. In the 30th round of the Brasileirão, for example, coach Abel Braga needed to save important starters in the match against Chapecoense. It took 2 to 0 in Arena Condá.
With that, he stood still in the 38 points (nine wins, 11 draws and ten losses), dropping two positions in the table. He started the day of number 31 in the thirteenth place, being sure that he will not appear in the relegation zone at the end of the ten scheduled games. That’s because the advantage in comparison with Vitória, seventeenth and first place in the sticking region, is five points.
This small ‘fat’ can make some star players stand out so they can be in better physical condition to face Flamengo in the decisive match of Sula. One of them is the striker Henrique Dourado.
Scorer of the Brasileirão with 16 goals, the athlete already suffered a muscle injury in the season, precipitated his return, was injured again, and is not in the best of his physical conditioning. The physiology department of Tricolor das Laranjeiras fears that he may suffer a serious injury that will take him out of the rest of the season.
The big problem at the time of making that decision is the lack of acceptable cast options. Names such as Pedro, Romarinho and Robinho have already been tested, but have failed to deliver even similar performances to the owner.
An option for the job would require a tactical change. Wellington Silva could enter acting on the side with Marco Junior, who has been doing this function, playing more centralized. In this case, of course, there would be a significant loss in the use of the aerial game given to Marco Júnior’s short stature.
Another likely casualty will be midfielder Douglas. With pain in his joints, he was out of the match against Chapecoense and could not recover in time to face Flamengo. It should be kept out for the second ‘leg’ of the classic Carioca in South American.
At the back, Gum, who has not been registered in the South American must return to the team. Unless Abel prefers to keep behind Renato Chaves and Reginaldo so that they can get together. There is also doubt about the use of Henry, in the final phase of recovery of muscle injury. If he is released, the captain will probably be held among the starters.
The current form of Bahia
Although the threat of relegation is not completely out of the way, Bahia will also step on the Maracanã lawn with the certainty that they will finish the thirty-first round outside the sticking region.
That was to beat Vitória, their biggest rival and direct opponent in the fight against the sticking, in the previous round 2-1. With 38 points (ten wins, eight draws and 12 losses), he climbed to the twelfth position. Although he has the same score as Fluminense, he takes advantage of the number of wins (10 to 9), which is the first tiebreaker.
With a free week to train, coach Paulo César Carpegianni held a series of closed preparation sessions for the presence of the public and the press. He took advantage to do tests in the starting team. Of course, he did not reveal his plans.
Sure is that you will have two casualties to face the Rio tricolor. Flush Edson, a former Fluminense player, has suffered a muscle injury that should get him off the lawn for three weeks. In addition, midfielder Mendoza is suspended.
Another former player of the club can win the chance among the starters. Recovered from injury, midfielder Vinícius depends only on the improvement of his physical condition to be available to the coach.
History of the bouts between Fluminense and Bahia
The tricolors faced 38 times in the history of the Brasileirão. The Cariocas won 18 games. The Bahians won seven. The draws were 13. In the first round of the 2017 edition there was equality by 1 to 1.
PREDICTION: Bahia win @ 3.40
