Savarino shines vs Remo, deserves more chances at Fluminense | OneFootball

Fluminense’s 2-0 victory over Clube do Remo brought a clear realization: when Jefferson Savarino starts, the tricolor attack gains a whole new dynamic.

Lined up among the starters, the Venezuelan was one of the most involved players on the team. He didn’t score or provide an assist, but he had a direct influence on the offensive build-up and helped the team control the game at Mangueirão.

It was no coincidence.

Savarino offers something that Fluminense’s squad doesn’t have in abundance: creativity between the lines and quick decision-making in the final third.

He’s not a traditional winger, and that changes the game

Anyone expecting to see Savarino glued to the sideline might be looking at the player the wrong way.

The Venezuelan is a midfielder by origin, but he can play wide on either side or centrally, something coach Luis Zubeldía valued when requesting his signing. The idea was precisely to have a player capable of playing in all three positions behind the center forward.

In practice, this means Savarino is rarely stuck out wide. He:

That’s exactly what happened against Remo. Starting from the left, he constantly moved inside and got closer to Lucho Acosta, creating passing lanes and helping Fluminense maintain possession in the attacking half.

The connection with Lucho raises the creative level

The partnership between Savarino and Lucho Acosta is already showing clear signs that it could become one of the team’s main weapons.

In the matches against Palmeiras and Remo, the two games they started together, Fluminense showed a more associative attack and created more opportunities. There was constant position swapping, close combinations, and acceleration in offensive transitions.

Acosta himself has already highlighted this chemistry.

According to the Argentine, the two have a “good connection” on the field, precisely because they share similar characteristics: they like to dribble, finish, and find the final pass.

In practice, this creates something the team lacked at times last season: centralized creativity and unpredictability in the final third.

The battle for a spot: Canobbio or Serna?

Today, Savarino is competing for a place with two established starters.

On one side is Agustín Canobbio, a winger with great physical intensity, strong in tracking back, and one of the players who contributes most defensively in the attacking sector.

On the other side is Kevin Serna, Fluminense’s top scorer this season and an important piece due to his aggressiveness in attack.

They have very different profiles, and that explains Zubeldía’s dilemma.

Canobbio provides intensity and defensive balance.Serna offers depth and goals.

Savarino, in turn, brings something neither of the two delivers to the same extent: offensive organization and creativity.

Where does he fit best?

The most natural fit seems to be on the left, a role he has already played at different points in his career.

Starting from that side, Savarino can:

In addition, the flank can continue to be occupied by the full-back, something common in Zubeldía’s playing model.

But there’s another interesting possibility: a more mobile attack, with Savarino and Lucho alternating positions inside and out wide.

This kind of movement was exactly what marked the Venezuelan’s best spell in Brazilian football, when he had the freedom to roam in attack and was directly involved in many goals in 2024.

A reinforcement that expands the repertoire

Savarino’s signing had a clear objective: to improve the team’s offensive output.

The Venezuelan has good finishing, vision, and decision-making ability—qualities the coaching staff was seeking to raise the team’s creative level.

And when he steps onto the field, it shows.

His performance against Remo reinforces an impression that grows with every game: Savarino may not be the most physical player in attack, but he’s one of those who best understands the game.

In a team that values ball circulation and positional intelligence, that matters.

The competition for a spot in Fluminense’s attack is fierce. Canobbio and Serna are both in good form and haven’t lost their places by chance.

But Savarino has shown he has what it takes to join the fight.

Whether for his versatility, creativity, or connection with Lucho Acosta, the Venezuelan is starting to make it clear that he didn’t come just to make up the numbers.

He came to play.

And if he maintains the level of his recent performances, the pressure for a starting spot is only going to grow.

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