Fluminense trim squad, send Riquelme and Júlio Fidélis back to under-20s | OneFootball

Fluminense has decided to reduce its professional squad for the remainder of the season and has reassigned youth academy players who had been training with the main group. This measure comes during the final stretch of the Campeonato Carioca, in which the Tricolor will play the semifinal against Vasco and, if they qualify, a possible single-match final.

Since the beginning of the year, the squad competing in the state championship included several players developed at Xerém, such as Júlio Fidelis, Riquelme, Keven Samuel, and Wesley Natã. With the decisive stages defined, the board chose to reduce the number of players available to the coaching staff and sent the youngsters back to the under-20 team.

Among the players under 20 years old, only forward Matheus Reis remains with the main group. The player is highly regarded by coach Luis Zubeldía and recently renewed his contract with the club.

Separated group and uncertain future

In addition to the youngsters who returned to the academy, journalist Wilson Fort from Central Fluminense reported that the club also decided that some players over the under-20 age limit would begin training separately. Players Loiola, Agner, Davi Melo, and Luis Fernando have stopped participating in activities with the rest of the squad.

Riquelme, Júlio Fidelis, Wesley Natã, and Keven Samuel, in fact, will be available for the under-20 team in a match for that category. The presence of these players is not directly related to the youth calendar, but rather to the club's plan to streamline the professional squad.

Initially, the return of these athletes to the academy is specific for the match against Fortaleza in the Brazilian Under-20 Championship, but remaining with the under-20s for a longer period has not been ruled out. The decision is part of the adjustment of the main group for the rest of the season, prioritizing a leaner squad for the decisive stages.

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