Flu v Grêmio: season opener at the Maracanã with continental spots in view | OneFootball

Fluminense face Grêmio in the Brasileirão at the Maracanã on 28 January 2026, opening their league campaigns with early momentum towards continental places at stake.

Head-to-head history tilts towards Grêmio overall, but the last league meeting in December 2025 went the other way as Fluminense won 2-1 in Porto Alegre.

Form is encouraging on both sides. Flu have three wins from their last five, including a 2-1 derby victory over Flamengo. Imortal also boast three wins in five in the Gaúcho, with emphatic results such as 5-0 against São Luiz and 4-0 at Avenida, though a 4-2 defeat at Internacional showed the other side of their recent run.

Selection could matter. Tricolor Carioca list Germán Cano, Yeferson Soteldo and Hércules as injured. Tricolor Gaúcho are without Martin Braithwaite, Kannemann, Cristian Pavon, Mathias Villasanti, Erick Noriega and Miguel Ángel Monsalve.

Given those scorelines and absences, the game could hinge on who settles quickest and keeps their back line organised. Flu may try to lean on the Maracanã advantage, while Imortal's recent big wins underline their ability to punish lapses.

Both start level in the latest table listing within the Copa Sudamericana bracket. An opening win could push Flu towards the early pace-setters, while a positive result for Tricolor Gaúcho may nudge them closer to the Libertadores berths. Next, Flu visit Bahia and Imortal host Botafogo.