- Fluminense will play in the CONMEBOL Libertadores Semi-finals for the third time: they won both of their previous ties, against Boca Juniors in 2008 and Internacional in 2023, respectively.
- The Rio de Janeiro side will look to maintain their unbeaten record at this stage against Palmeiras, in a tie that will begin at the Maracanã and be decided in São Paulo.
Fluminense find themselves once again in familiar territory, where they have a perfect record. ‘Flu’ have reached the CONMEBOL Libertadores Semi-finals for the third time and, on both previous occasions, progressed to the final: in 2008, they eliminated Boca Juniors, while in 2023 they overcame Internacional, a run that culminated in the first CONMEBOL Libertadores title in the club’s history. Now, Palmeiras stand in their way.
2008: their first Semi-final and the comeback against Boca
Fluminense’s first appearance in the Semi-finals came in 2008, in a campaign that marked the club’s return to the forefront of South American football. Their opponents were Boca Juniors, the Argentine side and reigning CONMEBOL Libertadores champions.
The first leg was played on 28 May at Racing’s Estadio Presidente Perón in Avellaneda, where the ‘Xeneize’ played their home fixture. Fluminense secured a valuable 2-2 draw: Juan Román Riquelme scored both of Boca’s goals, while Thiago Silva — now captain of the Brazilian side — and Thiago Neves found the net for Fluminense.
The second leg took place on 4 June at the Maracanã. Boca took the lead through their leading goalscorer, Martín Palermo. But the home side responded and turned the match around with goals from Washington, Darío Conca and Dodô. The 3-1 victory sent Fluminense through to the CONMEBOL Libertadores final for the first time.
In that final, Renato Gaúcho’s side faced Liga de Quito and finished as runners-up after the tie was decided on penalties at the Maracanã.
2023: another heroic comeback to reach the Final
Fifteen years later, Fluminense returned to the Semi-finals. This time, Internacional were their opponents, and the tie once again featured a dramatic comeback from the Rio de Janeiro side.
In the first leg at the Maracanã, ‘Flu’ drew 2-2. Germán Cano opened the scoring and found the net again in the closing stages, while Hugo Mallo and Alan Patrick had put the Porto Alegre side ahead.
The second leg at the Beira-Rio was even more dramatic: Inter took the lead through Gabriel Mercado and held on to their advantage until the final minutes. But Fluminense produced a comeback in just six minutes. John Kennedy equalised in the 81st minute and Germán Cano scored the 2-1 winner in the 87th, completing the comeback and sealing a 4-3 aggregate victory.
Cano’s goal was also his 12th of that CONMEBOL Libertadores campaign, making him the tournament’s leading scorer at the time he reached the final. He subsequently scored against Boca Juniors in the final and finished the competition with 13 goals, becoming the leading scorer of the 2023 edition.
That victory over Internacional sent ‘Flu’ back to the final after 15 long years of waiting. This time, history was different: at the Maracanã, Fluminense defeated the six-time champions 2-1 and lifted the CONMEBOL Libertadores trophy for the first time.
A new Semi-final, with several familiar protagonists
In 2026, Fluminense are once again among the four best sides in South America. After eliminating Platense in the Quarter-finals, the Rio de Janeiro side will face Palmeiras for a place in the final.
The current squad also features several players who were key figures in the 2023 campaign. Fábio, the legendary goalkeeper, and Paulo Henrique Ganso remain part of the team, as do Germán Cano, Martinelli and Guga.
Cano, the Argentine forward, represents one of the main links between that title-winning side and the current team. The Argentine striker is Fluminense’s all-time leading scorer in the CONMEBOL Libertadores, with 17 goals, and was the tournament’s top scorer in the 2023 edition with 13.
Now, under the management of Marcão — who took over following Luis Zubeldía’s departure — ‘Tricolor’ will contest their third Semi-final in the continent’s most prestigious club competition.
The record gives the Rio side plenty of reason for optimism: two Semi-final appearances, two ties won and two finals reached. Against Palmeiras, Fluminense will look to extend that run and once again move one step closer to Eternal Glory.
