Preview: Fluminense vs Corinthians - prediction, team news, lineups

While Fluminense celebrate their best start to a first half of the season since 2012, Corinthians arrive at the Maracana carrying a goalscoring crisis that threatens to undermine a campaign which began with victory in the Brazilian Super Cup.

The ninth-round Brasileiro 2026 clash pits the third-best attack in the competition (13 goals) against the second worst (seven), and a lengthy list of absentees makes the task even more difficult for the visitors. At least six players will be unavailable through international call-ups, injury and suspension, while the home side have a near-complete squad and the backing of the Maracana crowd.

Match preview

The international break interrupted an intense run of fixtures played almost every three days since January, a period in which the new Brazilian football calendar compressed state championships and the start of the Serie A into a single stretch.

For Fluminense, the pause arrived as a welcome reprieve after four matches in 12 days between the fifth and eighth rounds. Luis Zubeldia's side have accumulated 16 points from eight matches, recording four wins, one draw and three defeats.

The campaign has been built primarily on solidity at the Maracana, where the Tricolor have won three of their four home fixtures in the competition, conceding only one draw. Even when they have stumbled, the response has been immediate. After throwing away a two-goal lead to lose 3-2 to Vasco in the seventh round, Fluminense responded with a narrow but assured 1-0 victory over Atletico Mineiro, thanks to a goal from Rodrigo Castillo and a decisive save from Fabio in the final moments.

At 45 years of age, the goalkeeper remains a benchmark for reliability and leadership in the Tricolor's defensive unit. Fabio has already made more saves than any other goalkeeper in the Brasileiro since his debut for the club, a figure that underlines his importance both on and off the pitch.

In attack, the partnership of Lucho Acosta and Savarino has been the team's primary creative force - to the point that supporters have coined the nickname "SavaLucho" for the duo. The Argentine has contributed three goals and three assists in 14 appearances this season, figures that already surpass his entire output in 2025. Savarino, released from the Venezuelan national squad ahead of the international fixtures, trained throughout the week at the Carlos Castilho training centre and will be available to start.

On the other side of the table, Corinthians are enduring the most difficult spell of their 2026 campaign. They have gone five matches without a win in the Brasileiro - four draws and one defeat - and six matches without a victory across all competitions, including elimination by Novorizontino in the semi-finals of the Paulistao.

A win rate of 41 per cent in the Serie A falls short of what the board and supporters expected from a side that won the Copa do Brasil in 2025 and the Brazilian Super Cup in February against Flamengo. The principal difficulty has been a lack of firepower.

Of the seven goals Corinthians have scored in the Brasileiro, only five have come from forwards, and their average of 0.88 goals per match is the second worst in the competition. Memphis Depay has failed to score in the six appearances he has made in 2026 and is currently recovering in the Netherlands from a grade-two injury to his right thigh, with a return not expected before May.

If the attack is a concern, the defence has been the team's main point of support. Having conceded only seven goals in eight rounds, Corinthians possess the third-best defensive record in the Serie A and have shipped just two goals in four away fixtures - an average of 0.5 per match.

Defender Gustavo Henrique leads the backline and has also been an important weapon at set pieces, an area from which Corinthians regularly find a route to goal. From April onwards, the club will also be competing simultaneously in the Copa Libertadores, a scenario that will demand squad depth at a delicate point in the season. Balancing departments will be crucial if the side are to reduce inconsistency, rebuild confidence and pursue more ambitious targets in this Brasileiro.

Fluminense Brasileiro form:

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Fluminense form (all competitions):

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Corinthians Brasileiro form:

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Corinthians form (all competitions):

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Team News

Fluminense's principal absentee is forward Agustin Canobbio, who received his first call-up to the Uruguayan national side in almost two years. The player featured for Uruguay on March 31 in Turin and is expected to land in Brazil only on the morning of the match, making his participation virtually impossible. The positive news for Zubeldia is that Savarino remained in Rio de Janeiro after being released by Venezuela and trained normally throughout the break.

Without Canobbio, Kevin Serna and Soteldo are the leading candidates to fill the attacking vacancy. The medical department also includes Nonato, Bernal and Matheus Reis, who are all recovering from injury. Beyond those absences, the remainder of the squad is available, including Alisson - the club's sixth signing of the season, brought in during the most recent transfer window.

Corinthians' list of problems is more extensive and concerning. Goalkeeper Hugo Souza, called up by the Brazilian national team for friendlies against France and Croatia, will not return in time for the match. Andre Carrillo, on duty with the Peruvian squad, is also unavailable. The club considered chartering flights to accelerate the return of their players but abandoned the idea due to the high cost and the physical strain it would impose.

Memphis Depay continues his recovery in the Netherlands following his thigh injury and is expected to remain sidelined for at least another month. Kaio Cesar remains in the medical department with no return date confirmed, while Raniele will serve an automatic suspension after accumulating yellow cards.

The main positive news for the Corinthians camp is Jesse Lingard. Already registered and cleared by the CBF, the Englishman made a strong impression in training and is emerging as a genuine option to earn his first minutes in the black-and-white shirt. With the attacking department so depleted, he represents a concrete alternative for Dorival Junior. Felipe Longo, recovered from an elbow strain, is expected to take over in goal in place of Hugo Souza.

Fluminense possible starting lineup:

Fabio; Xavier, Jemmes, Freytes, Arana; Martinelli, Hercules; Savarino, Acosta, Canobbio; Castillo.

Corinthians possible starting lineup:

Longo; Matheuzinho, Paulista, Henrique, Bidu; Luiz, Bidon, Pereira; Garro; Alberto, Vitinho

We say: Fluminense 1-0 Corinthians

Fluminense are in significantly stronger form and despite Corinthians' formidable defence at the start of this term, Fluminense's impressive attack should lead them to the victory and all three points.

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