Flamengo faces Fluminense in Carioca final under new coach Jardim

Flamengo will face Fluminense on Sunday at the Maracanã stadium for the Campeonato Carioca title, with kickoff scheduled for 6 p.m. Brasília time. The match marks the debut of Portuguese coach Leonardo Jardim, who replaced Filipe Luís after the latter's dismissal on Tuesday.

Jardim has implemented a new protocol ahead of the final. Following Saturday's training session at 5 p.m. at the Ninho do Urubu training center, the entire squad will remain concentrated until Sunday's match. This practice was not adopted under Filipe Luís, though it remains unclear whether the concentration requirement will apply to all future Flamengo matches or only to this championship final.

Flamengo is expected to field up to four changes from the team that defeated Madureira 8–0 in the semifinal. Midfielder Erick Pulgar, who had been dealing with muscle soreness, is likely to return to the starting lineup. Defenders Léo Pereira and midfielder Jorginho, both recovering from fatigue, are also expected to feature. Attacking midfielder Arrascaeta, similarly affected by fatigue, is projected to return as well.

However, two key players remain unavailable. Forward Bruno Henrique continues treatment for pubalgia, while midfielder Saúl is recovering from left heel surgery performed earlier in the year.

Filipe Luís was dismissed after Flamengo lost the Recopa Sul-Americana and Supercopa do Brasil at the start of the season. Club president Luiz Eduardo Baptista stated during a council meeting on Thursday that the dismissal was necessary because the team's success "was at risk" under the previous coach. Baptista defended the decision despite criticism over the timing, which came immediately after the 8–0 victory over Madureira.

The final represents another chapter in the historical dominance of Flamengo and Fluminense in Rio de Janeiro's state championship. The two clubs are meeting in the final for the sixth time in eight years, a record concentration of power in the competition. Between 2019 and 2026, Flamengo won titles in 2019, 2020, 2021, 2024, and 2025, while Fluminense claimed championships in 2022 and 2023. The only exceptions to Fla-Flu finals during this period were in 2024, when Nova Iguaçu reached the final, and in 2019, when Vasco was the runner-up.

Historically, only one other period saw comparable dominance. Between 1937 and 1944, two clubs divided eight titles, though the distribution was more balanced at four titles each, and the runner-up positions were shared among Botafogo and Vasco.