Aiming to recover from consecutive Brasileiro defeats, Fluminense host Palmeiras at the Maracana on Wednesday in the 16th round of Brazil's top-flight league.

Big Flu were beaten 1-0 in the Fla-Flu derby, marking their second successive loss since the Club World Cup, and they hope to avoid a third against an opponent that have claimed four points from six since the 32-team tournament in the United States.

Match preview

Renato Portaluppi’s Fluminense have now lost two league matches since returning to domestic action after their Club World Cup run in the USA.

Including their 2-0 semi-final loss to eventual winners Chelsea, Tricolor have suffered three defeats in a row, notably failing to score across 270 minutes of football.

After unsuccessfully trying against the Blues, firing blanks in the 2-0 defeat at home to Cruzeiro was followed by a late concession in the typically low-scoring derby with Flamengo on Sunday, when Pedro netted in the final five minutes of normal time to seal a 1-0 win for Filipe Luis's men.

Having lost another league fixture, Fluminense slipped to eighth in the league standings and enter the midweek round of fixtures six points adrift of Wednesday's visitors in fourth spot in the table.

Although they are level on seven points with Palmeiras, considering the last five results, consecutive losses after the Club World Cup and the visiting club's positive results indicate that Renato Gaucho's men enter the midweek encounter as the slight underdog.

Nevertheless, the home support will be aware of the team's strong form in their backyard this season, highlighted by Big Flu’s sole loss in six home games, with four wins and one draw.

With Fluminense's only loss coming in their most recent home game against Cruzeiro, Abel Ferreira will hope his players can inflict consecutive home defeats on Tricolor, as his side seeks to extend their undefeated streak.

After heading into the expanded Club World Cup on a two-game losing run, Verdao have now played out a draw and secured one win, placing Alviverde fourth in the table on 26 points, having played two games fewer than third-placed Red Bull Bragantino on 27 points.

Indeed, Ferreira's men, who sit seven points behind table-topping Cruzeiro, have two games in hand on the team in first, meaning title contention cannot be ruled out if Palmeiras go on a positive run in the competition.

With their home form faltering — Verdao have won just three of seven fixtures in Sao Paulo — playing away has been more successful for the Alviverde, who have accrued 15 points from a possible 18 on the road.

With no team in the Brazilian top division performing better away from home, Palmeiras, who have not won at Fluminense in the league since September 2017, hope to end that eight-year wait on Wednesday. 

Fluminense Brasileiro form:

Fluminense form (all competitions):

Palmeiras Brasileiro form:

Palmeiras form (all competitions):

Team News

While Fluminense suffered no apparent injury against Flamengo on Sunday, Tricolor are missing Ganso and Otavio due to muscle and Achilles injuries, respectively.

Having been left out of the squad in the Fla-Flu derby, it remains to be seen if German Cano will be reinstated into the group for Wednesday's fixture against Palmeiras.

Although Kevin Serna leads the home side's goalscoring charts with three goals, the wide attacker has started only four matches, and a fifth is uncertain.

Bruno Fuchs is suspended for Palmeiras, while Bruno Rodrigues, Figueiredo, Murilo Cerqueira and Paulinho are missing due to injury.

With Estevao Willian no longer an attacking option, Ferreira's men must find solutions elsewhere; Facundo Torres has been involved in five goals this season — three goals, two assists — notably scoring in the 1-1 draw against Mirassol on July 17 and assisting in the 3-2 victory over Atletico Mineiro on Sunday, and the attacker aims to make a difference in the midweek fixture.

Vitor Roque will be relieved that his misses in that five-goal thriller were not costly, and the forward, whose last goal was scored on May 11, seeks to end his ongoing drought.

Fluminense possible starting lineup:

Fabio; Ignacio, Silva, Freytes; Guga, Bernal, Martinelli, Rene; Lima, Canobbio; Everaldo

Palmeiras possible starting lineup:

Weverton; Giay, Gomez, Micael, Piquerez; Evangelista, Moreno, Mauricio; Torres, Roque, Anderson

We say: Fluminense 1-1 Palmeiras

While Fluminense have failed to score in three consecutive matches, Palmeiras’ leaky defence — Verdao have conceded at least one goal in each of their previous five league games — almost guarantees the home side will find the net.

Nevertheless, the visitors should score too, and the spoils could be shared at the Maracana, thereby prolonging Palmeiras’ wait for a victory away at Fluminense.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.

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