Pressure mounts, but Zubeldía should stay for Libertadores tie | OneFootball

Pressure on Luis Zubeldía increased at Fluminense after Tuesday’s scoreless draw with Independiente Rivadavia at the Maracanã. The poor result sparked protests from the fans and added to the coach’s growing strain within the club. Despite the situation, a dismissal before the second leg of the Copa Libertadores round of 16 is not considered likely.

According to journalist Lucas Ribeiro of the newspaper O Globo, the club’s board is expected to keep the Argentine in charge, at least until the decisive match against the Argentine side.

One of the factors favoring his stay is the profile of Fluminense’s own board, which usually avoids changes in management during periods of pressure. Mário Bittencourt, the club’s general director, also has influence over football decisions and has previously defended Zubeldía’s continuation during earlier moments of instability.

The proximity of the decisive match is also a key factor. Fluminense will face Rivadavia next Tuesday (18) in Mendoza in the second leg of the Copa Libertadores round of 16. A change in management on the eve of the match would be considered difficult to carry out.

Another problem is the lack of alternatives on the market. According to Lucas Ribeiro, the club would have difficulty finding, at this moment, a name considered suitable to take over the team immediately. The situation, however, could change if Fluminense are eliminated from the Libertadores.

According to O Globo, an elimination against Rivadavia could make Zubeldía’s stay virtually untenable. Beyond the results, there is also an internal assessment that the team has shown no collective improvement. This scenario would also be affecting the players’ individual performances.

Fluminense go into the second leg of the Libertadores on an eight-match winless run. Before the continental decider, Zubeldía will still have an important Brasileirão fixture: the clash against Palmeiras on Saturday.

Photo: Disclosure/FFC

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