Fluminense opens its Conmebol Libertadores 2026 knockout run on Tuesday at 19h in Rio de Janeiro, hosting Independiente Rivadavia at the Maracanã in the first leg of the round of 16. The match brings back a meeting already seen in the group stage, but this time the margin for error is much smaller.
For Fluminense, the timing matters because the club enters the tie without John Kennedy, who suffered a serious knee injury and is expected back only next season. Thiago Silva has recovered and should be available, giving the home side a boost as it prepares to lean on a lineup that could include Fábio; Guga, Ignácio, Thiago Silva or Igor Rabello, and Renê; Hércules, Martinelli and Lucho Acosta or Ganso; Canobbio, Soteldo or Savarino, and Hulk. The same group also rested several starters in the last Brasileirão round against Botafogo, with Canobbio, Hércules, Martinelli and Lucho Acosta starting on the bench.
That matters because Fluminense already knows Independiente Rivadavia can hurt it in Rio. The Argentine side beat Fluminense at the Maracanã during the group stage and arrives in the knockout round as one of the biggest surprises in Argentine football in 2026, even while sitting fourth in its Torneio Clausura group. Álex Arce and Sebastián Villa remain its main attacking references, and Arce showed his form again with two goals in a 2-1 win over Estudiantes de Río Cuarto in the Argentine championship.
Independiente Rivadavia is expected to line up with Bolcato; Osella, Leonard Costa, Studer and Elordi; Bottari, Ríos, Fernández and Atencio; Sartori and Arce, under Alfredo Berti. Fluminense’s listed absences also include Matheus Reis, Millán and Freytes, while Guga and Lucho Acosta are listed as pending suspension, a detail that could shape how aggressively the home side approaches the first leg. Cristiano Garay will referee the match, with Jose Retamal and Miguel Rocha as assistants, Diego Flores as fourth official, Fernando Vejar on VAR and Nicolas Millas on AVAR.
and Disney+ will broadcast the game, while ge will follow it in real time. For Fluminense, the immediate task is straightforward: use home advantage without repeating the group-stage slip. The return leg will settle the tie, but the first 90 minutes at the Maracanã will decide whether Tuesday night becomes a platform or a warning.
