Marcão explains how talks with the squad shape Fluminense's style

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·21 September 2026

Marcão explains how talks with the squad shape Fluminense's style

Fluminense have been trying to find a playing model that makes better use of the characteristics of their squad. After the 3-1 away win over Corinthians in the Brazilian Championship, Marcão explained that conversations with the players play a direct role in the decisions about how the team should play.

The coach especially highlighted the experience of players such as Hulk, Thiago Silva and Paulo Henrique Ganso. For Marcão, listening to players who have spent years performing at a high level helps find a balance between intensity, control of the match and speed in attack.

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Honestly, that’s what I believe in. If we have such great players in the squad, who have seen it all, we have an obligation to listen to them. We know what they don’t like. It can’t just be me. We put forward two or three situations and see how we’re going to do it. We look for our team’s identity. Can Fluminense play in transition all the time? We have Hulk, Thiago, Paulo... players above the average age in Brazilian football. We have to find a middle ground so that it feels comfortable for them without stopping being incisive and strong. Together, we found the identity of a more compact team, controlling the action. When we needed speed, we used our wingers, and that’s what we built over the course of the week.

The win at Neo Química Arena served as an example of the approach mentioned by the coach. Tricolor managed to control different moments of the match and, when necessary, used the speed of the wide players to accelerate attacking moves.

Beyond the result, the victory also ended Fluminense’s five-month winless run away from home in the Brasileirão and gave the team more confidence for the rest of the season.

Now, Marcão will have a longer period of preparation before the next matches. Among them is the clash with Palmeiras in the Libertadores semifinal, a tie that will require Fluminense to have different options during the games.

The search for that balance between control and aggression lies precisely in the attempt to make the most of what each player can offer within the model defined by the coaching staff.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.