Zubeldía has already used 24 different line-ups at Fluminense in 2026 | OneFootball

Fluminense has reached the mark of 24 different lineups used in 2026 under head coach Luis Zubeldía. The survey was carried out by journalist Jéssica Maldonado, from ge. The number highlights the coach’s difficulty in fielding the same team throughout the season, a scenario influenced mainly by injuries, suspensions, and squad load management.

Since Zubeldía’s debut this year, against Grêmio in the first round of the Brazilian Championship, Fluminense has played 27 matches. During that period, the coach managed to repeat the same lineup only three times.

The last time he did so was still in the Campeonato Carioca, between the semifinal and the final, in the matches against Vasco and Flamengo.

In recent months, two names considered fundamental to the team’s structure have become major absences. Attacking midfielder Lucho Acosta, one of the season’s standout players, and defensive midfielder Martinelli were sidelined with physical issues, forcing frequent changes in midfield.

Martinelli’s absence in particular led Zubeldía to test different setups in that area. The coach has already used combinations featuring Nonato, Bernal, and Alisson alongside Hércules, in addition to making changes in other positions on the team.

Despite the difficulty in repeating the same lineup, a core group has remained throughout the season. Players such as Fábio, Freytes, Hércules, Martinelli, Lucho Acosta, Canobbio, Savarino, and John Kennedy have frequently appeared among Fluminense’s starters in 2026.

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