The first Brazilian Under-20 champion, Fluminense, who won the title undefeated in 2015, learned this Monday (25/03) the path outlined by the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) for the 2024 edition of the competition. The new version of the championship puts the 20 clubs best ranked by the entity in competition against each other. Moleques de Xerém debuts against Cruzeiro, on the week of April 2, 3 and 4, in Minas Gerais.
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“It’s not such a short championship anymore, so we have to be intelligent in our decisions and organize our team to be strong in absolutely every game, because we are not going to give up on any competition. We seek to always place Fluminense in the highest place on the podium The secret is to be as competitive as possible”, highlighted coach Rômulo Rodriguez.
Read more: Sub-20 tricolor welcomes Audax in a game broadcast by FluTV
At the end of the round, the eight best placed teams advance to the quarter-finals, with the best ranked teams in order of field command. The knockout stage, defined in an Olympic cross, will be decided in a single game, except in the very final, with the round-trip duels scheduled for September 21st and 28th. A draw on aggregate leads the decision to penalties. The winner guarantees a place in the CONMEBOL Libertadores category.
“We have a mature squad, which includes boys who have played in the competition in other years and are now finding a different competition format. We want the athletes to be aggressive and seek victory in absolutely every game. They respect their opponents, but impose yourself. In a championship with straight points, the main thing is to face all matches as if they were finals. This is the face we have already started to give to the group and we are still going to evolve in this regard”, stated Rodriguez.
The classics against Botafogo and Flamengo, for the fourth and tenth rounds, are scheduled for the week of April 23rd, 24th and 25th and June 18th, 19th and 20th, respectively. The tricolors go to the alvinegros, while facing the red-blacks under their control. The first phase comes to an end with a clash against São Paulo, at home, on August 21st.
GAME TABLE
1st round – Cruise x FLUMINENSE
2nd round – FLUMINENSE x Bahia
3rd round – FLUMINENSE x Goiás
4th round – Botafogo x FLUMINENSE
5th round – Santos x FLUMINENSE
6th round – FLUMINENSE x Atlético-MG
7th round – FLUMINENSE x Cuiabá
8th round – Athletico-PR x FLUMINENSE
9th round – Fortaleza x FLUMINENSE
10th round – FLUMINENSE x Flamengo
11th round – América-MG x FLUMINENSE
12th round – FLUMINENSE x Ceará
13th round – FLUMINENSE x Grêmio
14th round – Red Bull Bragantino x FLUMINENSE
15th round – FLUMINENSE x Corinthians
16th round – Atlético-GO x FLUMINENSE
17th round – FLUMINENSE x Palmeiras
18th round – International x FLUMINENSE
19th round – FLUMINENSE x São Paulo
Text: Communication/FFC
Photos: Mailson Santana/FFC