Fluminense are enduring their worst spell of the year. Since being knocked out by Chelsea in the semifinals of the FIFA Club World Cup, the Rio de Janeiro club hasn’t won a single match. This Sunday, they suffered a fourth consecutive loss in the Brasileirão, falling 3-1 to São Paulo at the Morumbi.

From Historic Run to Sudden Collapse

What began as a memorable campaign in the United States—with impressive victories over Borussia Dortmund, Inter Milan, and Al-Hilal—has unraveled into an unexpected crisis. The 0-2 defeat to Chelsea in the semis marked the start of a downward spiral: four straight losses in the Brasileirão to Cruzeiro, Flamengo, Palmeiras, and now São Paulo.

Goals from Arboleda, Ferreirinha, and Chilean striker Gonzalo Tapia sealed the result, while Samuel Xavier scored the lone goal for Fluminense. “We need to stop making excuses and do our part on the pitch,” the defender told Globo after the match.

Key Fixtures Ahead for Fluminense

Things won’t get easier. On Wednesday, Fluminense travel to face Internacional in Porto Alegre for the first leg of the Copa do Brasil Round of 16. Then, they’ll return to the Maracanã to host a struggling Grêmio in Matchday 18 of the Brasileirão.

But August brings even more pressure: they’ll face América de Cali in the Copa Sudamericana Round of 16—a tough challenge against the Colombian side that recently eliminated Bahia.

Is Renato Gaúcho’s Project Under Threat?

Doubts are beginning to surround Renato Gaúcho. What was once admiration and confidence after the Club World Cup has turned into mounting criticism. His future could hinge on the team’s performance across these three competitions. Fluminense must bounce back immediately—or risk wasting everything they built during the year’s promising first half.