Fluminense's season wasn't a campaign to remember as the team from Rio de Janeiro failed to really push for glory again. The thirteenth spot in 2016 wasn't impressive at all, but it did earn coach Abel Braga's men a ticket for the Copa Sudamericana. Abel Braga's outfit came even close to pushing for that trophy, but a derby match against Flamengo, one of their oldest rivals, destroyed that dream. The 0-1 at home in the quarter-final put the pressure on Fluminense, but the away match almost made up for it. The visitors claimed a 1-3 lead in the second leg, but two late goals saved Flamengo in the end: 3-3.
The Serie A campaign on the other hand didn't satisfy the fans at all. The Rio de Janeiro side seemed on the right track for a top eight finish for long, but it all went wrong during the second half of the season instead. Fluminense only managed to record four wins in the last eighteen Serie A games, which proved fatal to say the least. This was rather surprising as Henrique Dourado still managed to claim the top scorer's title this season. The experienced striker produced eighteen goals (Corithians striker Jo scored eighteen goals as well), but it somehow wasn't enough to push the performances to a higher level. Fluminense even dropped to the fourteenth spot after 38 matches and the fans won't be happy with this outcome at all. Bouncing back with a top eight campaign will be the main mission next year.
