With butterflies and big ambitions, Arana makes his Flu debut and eyes 2026 | OneFootball

Fluminense’s 2026 season kicked off on the night of last Wednesday. At the Luso-Brasileiro Stadium, the Tricolor overcame Madureira 2-1 in a match valid for the first round of the Campeonato Carioca. The game served as an introduction for the only two confirmed signings by the club so far: center-back Jemmes and left-back Guilherme Arana.

Curiously, both reinforcements made up the left side of the Tricolor’s defense, a sector that remained practically unscathed by the opponent’s attacks. Although Arana had a composed performance, he was decisive in the offensive build-up, taking part in the genesis of the play that resulted in the winning goal.

Even though the left corridor was more explored by the runs of Colombian Santi Moreno, the new full-back showcased his offensive virtues through well-timed overlapping runs. Wearing the number 6 shirt, he stood out for his quality in distributing the ball, using one-twos to escape marking and leading the team forward with his head held high. Defensively, he contributed with precise tackles, facilitating the transition to attack under the guidance of Maxi Cuberas on the sidelines.

After leaving the pitch following the victory, Arana did not hide his emotion at wearing the Tricolor shirt for the first time:

— Very happy, with that natural butterflies-in-the-stomach feeling, especially wearing the shirt of such a big club. Happy with the result, with the fans showing up. The team is still forming, with many youngsters eager to prove themselves. Sometimes running a lot even when it’s time to hold the game, but that’s natural. It’s important to start with a win, and I think we, the more experienced ones, have to encourage the youngsters because they are the future of the club. I’m very happy to be here at Fluminense.

Even though he played with “Group 1” — made up mostly of youngsters and players with fewer minutes — the plan for Arana is ambitious. The player, who arrived in Rio de Janeiro at the beginning of January carrying recent call-ups to the Brazilian National Team, has starter status.

The natural tendency is for him to take over the position in the team envisioned by coach Luis Zubeldía. Even though Renê provided consistency throughout 2025, there is a creative gap in the sector that Fluminense hopes to fill with Arana’s arrival, considerably raising the level of competition for the spot.

— The season is long and this is just the first of many games to come. Always with confidence. Fluminense finished last year well and I hope to have an excellent year and win titles with this shirt — concluded the new signing.

With the expectation that Arana will remain among the starters to gain rhythm, Fluminense returns to the pitch this Saturday. The opponent will be Boavista, at 6:30 p.m., in a match valid for the second round of the State Championship.

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