Deportivo La Guaira will host Fluminense at the Estadio Brigido Iriarte on Tuesday in the opening round of the 2026 CONMEBOL Libertadores campaign. The home side, who ply their trade in the Venezuelan top flight, are back in the Libertadores after a five-year absence, having finished atop the aggregate table in the 2025 Liga FUTVE, and will be looking to mark their return with a win.

La Guaira have hit the ground running under new head coach Hector Bidoglio, extending their unbeaten start to the league campaign to 10 matches after a 1-1 draw with Carabobo FC last time out. They will be aiming to carry that momentum into continental action this week, with their sights set on improving their performance from 2021, where they failed to win any of their group games.

Fluminense, meanwhile, missed out on last season’s Libertadores after a disappointing 2024 Brasileiro Serie A campaign, but are back on in the tournament after finishing fifth in the league last term.

Like their midweek opponents, Fluminense have also enjoyed a positive start to their domestic campaign, picking up six wins from 10 matches. However, they will temporarily set aside their title aspirations in the league this week as they focus on getting off to a strong start in their continental campaign.

Deportivo La Guaira vs Fluminense Head-to-Head and Key Numbers

• Tuesday’s game will mark the first-ever meeting between the two teams.
• La Guaira have had four competitive meetings against Brazilian opponents. They are winless in all four contests, losing three times and drawing once.
• Fluminense’s last competitive meeting against Venezuelan opposition came during the 2013 Copa Libertadores, when they faced Caracas FC, winning 1-0.
• Fluminense are one-time Libertadores champions (2023) and have also finished as runners-up once (2008). La Guaira, meanwhile, have never advanced past the group stages of the tournament.

Deportivo La Guaira vs Fluminense Prediction

Los Naranjas head into the midweek clash on a brilliant 10-game unbeaten streak, picking up five wins and five draws in that period. However, they face a mountain to climb this week and will hope to draw inspiration from their home advantage.

Tricolor, meanwhile, have lost just one of their last six games. They are by far the stronger side ahead of Tuesday’s encounter and should only need to avoid complacency to take the win in Venezuela.

Prediction: Deportivo La Guaira 1-3 Fluminense

Deportivo La Guaira vs Fluminense Betting Tips

Tip 1 – Result: Fluminense to win

Tip 2 – Goals – Over/under 2.5 – Over 2.5 goals

Tip 3 – Both teams to score: YES (Both sides have found the back of the net in four of the visitors’ last five matches)