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Fluminense and Independiente Rivadavia draw 0-0 in Libertadores opener
Fluminense and Independiente Rivadavia played to a 0-0 draw at the Maracanã in the first leg of the 2026 Copa Libertadores round of 16. The result leaves the series open ahead of the second leg, scheduled for August 18 at the Malvinas Argentinas stadium in Mendoza, Argentina. A new draw in the return match will lead to a penalty shootout.
Fluminense faced criticism from fans during the match due to a lack of offensive creativity and a recent seven-game winless streak. Despite controlling possession, the Brazilian side struggled to create clear scoring opportunities, with notable misses from Hulk and Martinelli. The draw marks the third time Fluminense has failed to beat the Argentine side in this edition of the tournament.
Independiente Rivadavia, led by Alfredo Berti, maintained a strong defensive performance, capitalizing on their momentum from the group stage where they finished first in Group C. The Argentine team remains undefeated in the competition so far.
In other Libertadores news, Flamengo is set to face Cruzeiro in their round of 16 first leg at the Mineirão, a matchup that carries significant financial implications, as both clubs stand to earn $1.7 million each for advancing to the quarterfinals.
Entities
CONMEBOL Libertadores · Copa Libertadores · Fluminense · Independiente Rivadavia · Luis Zubeldía · Maracanã
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The tournament final will be played as a single match. drd.com.br
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Teams reaching the semifinals will receive R$ 9 million. drd.com.br
- [● 2 SOURCES] The first leg matches are scheduled for August 26 and the second leg for September 2. drd.com.br
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The champion will receive R$ 78 million and the runner-up will receive R$ 34 million. drd.com.br
- [● 3 SOURCES] Cruzeiro and Atlético-MG will face each other in the Copa do Brasil quarterfinals. drd.com.br
- [● 3 SOURCES] The CBF conducted the draw for the Copa do Brasil quarterfinals on Tuesday, August 11. drd.com.br
- [● 2 SOURCES] Cruzeiro will host the first leg, and Atlético-MG will host the second leg. drd.com.br
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Other quarterfinal matchups include Internacional vs. Grêmio, Vasco vs. Vitória, and Palmeiras vs. Santos. drd.com.br