Zubeldía hails Fluminense comeback: “The team always meant to win”

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·19 aprile 2026

Zubeldía hails Fluminense comeback: “The team always meant to win”

After coming from behind to beat Santos 3-2 at Vila Belmiro, head coach Luis Zubeldía highlighted in a press conference the tactical decisions that helped Fluminense secure all three points in the 12th round of the Brazilian Championship.

The Tricolor goals were scored by Jefferson Savarino, Rodrigo Castillo and John Kennedy, while Gabriel Barbosa and Barreal found the net for the home side. Fluminense twice went behind on the scoreboard, but managed to fight back on the road.

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According to Zubeldía, one of the keys to the comeback was the tactical switch to put two center-forwards on the field. After Santos' second goal, the coach opted for a setup with Castillo and John Kennedy together up front, a decision that proved decisive in the result.

— I used a 4-4-2 with two strikers. What happened is that before the goal, Santos’ 2-1, we were already planning to make the switch to two center-forwards. It’s always a very useful option for me. I used it to equalize against Coritiba with Cano and John. Then in this last match we worked on an alternative the team has to make those two center-forwards work together. It’s a great option when you have crosses coming in. Everything takes time. To know how they perform, I need time. I know there isn’t any. Thank God everything worked out, but it’s an option I’ve had in mind for a long time. Today we were able to make it count and win — he explained.

Another decision highlighted by the coach was naming Guga in the starting lineup. The right-back was one of the standout performers and provided the two assists that led to Fluminense’s comeback goals.

According to the Argentine coach, the decision was also influenced by the physical wear and tear of Samuel Xavier, who had been coming off an intense run of matches.

— Samuel had played three matches in a row. Guga was fresher mentally and physically. It looked like the kind of match for Guga to combine with Savarino, and I understood it would be an end-to-end game. That’s why he ended up with two assists. It turned into a great performance. Even though it was end to end and evenly contested, we went behind twice and were able to respond mentally. Always thinking about winning and not about protecting the result. Winning is the only option. If it had ended in a draw, an away point wouldn’t have been bad. But the team’s mindset was always to win, and we did — he concluded.

With the result, Fluminense maintained an attacking approach even in the face of adversity and pulled off an important comeback away from home, boosting the team’s confidence for the rest of the season.

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