🔊 Will both teams make it to the playoffs? The final round in Seattle at Lumen Field features the marquee match of Group E between Inter and River Plate. Both teams have accumulated the same number of points, but the Buenos Aires club leads on tiebreakers, particularly in goals scored. However, neither side has secured a playoff spot yet. Mexican side Monterrey, currently in third place, still holds a strong chance of advancing. Therefore, neither Inter nor River Plate can afford to settle for a draw—the risk of missing out on the playoffs is too high. This matchup is rightly considered one of the pivotal clashes in the third round of the Club World Cup. What insightful prediction will our editorial team offer for this intense Italian-Argentinian showdown?

Head-to-Head

📊 This will be the first head-to-head encounter for both teams, and they dive straight into it under immense competitive pressure.

Inter Milano Team Overview

🔵 For Cristian Chivu, this will be only his third match at the helm of the Nerazzurri. In his debut game, Inter drew with Monterrey (1-1), with team captain Lautaro Martinez finding the back of the net.

⚫ The second encounter proved just as intense, as they faced Japanese club Urawa Red Diamonds. By halftime, the Milan side were trailing, entering the second half with a clear mission: score at least twice and keep a clean sheet. They accomplished this task. The first goal of the second half came from a set-piece: in the 78th minute, after a corner delivered by Nicolo Barella, Lautaro Martinez showcased his skill with an acrobatic finish. Buoyed by their success, Inter maintained the pressure, which paid off. In the 92nd minute, young midfielder Valentin Carboni, who came on right after the break, seized his opportunity and netted the winning goal, giving Cristian Chivu his first victory as head coach. This goal was a token of gratitude from the young player to his manager.

2️⃣ Currently, Inter sit second in the group with four points and a goal difference of 3:2. If they draw against River Plate while Monterrey win their parallel match, all three teams will end up with five points each.

🔗 Since Monterrey previously drew with both Inter and River Plate, the determining factor for advancing will be goal difference. Only the two best teams by this criterion will secure spots in the Round of 16. Thus, the tournament tension remains high—any mistake could prove fatal.

River Plate Team Overview

🔴 The "Millionaires" kicked off the Club World Cup with a commanding 3-1 victory over Urawa Red Diamonds. Goals came from Facundo Colidio, Sebastian Driussi, and Maximiliano Meza.

⚪ Heading into their second match against Mexico's Monterrey, the Argentine side were favorites. They immediately asserted their dominance, controlling possession and consistently threatening the opposition's goal. However, they lacked a bit of luck and composure, while Monterrey's goalkeeper delivered an impressive performance. Meanwhile, River Plate kept their own net untouched, concluding the match in a goalless draw.

🟥 The major setback of the encounter was the sending off of defensive midfielder Kevin Castano. In added time, he received a second yellow card, committing a necessary foul to prevent a dangerous counterattack following a failed set-piece by his teammates.

🔗 After two rounds, Marcelo Gallardo's squad sits atop the group with four points and a slightly better goal difference of 3:1. This edge places the "Millionaires" ahead of Inter. In their upcoming match, a draw won't guarantee River Plate's advancement, especially if Monterrey secures a win over Urawa. With equal points after three rounds, it's uncertain who will boast a superior goal difference, so the South American representatives will be playing solely for victory.

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Inter Milano

🎙 Cristian Chivu summed up the match against Urawa Red Diamonds: “We played well, trying every way to break down their deep defensive block. We believed in ourselves until the end, and we did it. I'm very proud of the guys.”

☑ Interesting fact. In the starting lineup against Urawa Reds, 22-year-old Sebastiano Esposito took the role of central forward. However, after halftime, Cristian Chivu made a substitution, bringing on Sebastiano’s brother, Francesco Esposito, for his debut with the first team. Francesco immediately made an impact by providing the assist for Valentin Carboni’s winning goal.

📝 Inter are showing interest in Manchester United winger Marcus Rashford. According to insiders, the Italian club has already reached out to the player's representatives to discuss a potential transfer. A key factor that could influence the deal is Rashford's high salary, which might pose a significant hurdle. Additionally, Inter are also mentioned among the contenders for another United forward, Danish player Rasmus Højlund. The Milan club is closely monitoring the situation around both players as they look to strengthen their attacking options ahead of the new season.

🎤 Inter’s CEO Giuseppe Marotta commented on the rumors regarding midfielder Hakan Çalhanoğlu potentially moving to Galatasaray: “We haven’t received any official offers or inquiries about Çalhanoğlu. He remains our player. Hakan is proving himself as a model professional.” According to various sources, the 31-year-old has reportedly reached an agreement with the Turkish club.

⭐ Inter midfielder and talisman Nicolò Barella was named in the team of the week following the second matchday.

💊 Good news from Inter’s medical staff: Denzel Dumfries has fully recovered from injury and is ready to return to action. Forward Marcus Thuram has also rejoined training.

❌ The participation of midfielders Davide Frattesi and Hakan Çalhanoğlu in the upcoming match remains uncertain. Meanwhile, the team will still be without Yann Bisseck, Benjamin Pavard, Piotr Zieliński, and Mehdi Taremi.

River Plate

🎙 Marcelo Gallardo expressed his disappointment that the team didn't secure a spot in the round of 16 after the second matchday, but he was satisfied with the performance: “What I saw from our team was clear superiority in many moments, with impeccable positioning. It was an energetic team with a strong mentality. We tried to assert ourselves from the start; later on, we had some lapses in pressing, but nothing more. We regained possession at the end of the first half but lacked a goal. We deserved to turn the game in our favor but couldn't capitalize on our chances. We felt we were better and had opportunities to win. We just needed to finish with a goal and secure victory. The bitter taste of not scoring the goal that would have qualified us is no reason to complain. I believe the glass is half full. Everyone fought for the win. We won the first game and imposed our will in the second.”

🎤 Marcelo Gallardo also confirmed that he had considered inviting Cristiano Ronaldo to participate in the current tournament: The whole story with Cristiano Ronaldo was real. It was in mid-March, through a mutual friend. I said to him: “Hey, the Club World Cup is coming up. Do you want to play in it?” He not only felt recognized but also appreciated and considered it. However, he decided to prepare for the next season instead.”

⭐ River Plate's left winger Franco Mastantuono was named the best player in the match against Monterrey. Remember, on August 14th, when he turns 18, the Argentine talent will join Real Madrid for a record fee of 35 million euros for Argentine football.

📝 According to media reports, River Plate are interested in acquiring Argentine midfielder Nicolás Fernández Mercau from Elche. Before joining the Spanish club, he played for Argentina’s San Lorenzo. However, the transfer will require significant investment—around 8 million euros.

❌ The “Millonarios” might not field their strongest lineup. In addition to Kevin Castaño being suspended, forwards Sebastián Driussi and Santiago Simón might miss the match due to injuries.

🟨 Referee and Yellow Cards

🟨 Referee and Yellow Cards

The upcoming match will be officiated by Uzbek referee Ilgiz Tantashev, who averages 2.8 yellow cards per game. In their first encounter, Inter's players received three yellow cards, while in the second, they managed to avoid any. River Plate's players were shown four yellow cards in their match against Urawa and five against Monterrey, with two leading to a sending-off for Castano. The football world knows how fiercely the Argentinians play, conceding no ground on the pitch. Therefore, in terms of yellow cards, River Plate are the favorites.

⚽ Goals Prediction

The blend of world-class players and talented youth in both squads leaves no doubt that the match will be high-scoring. Inter conceded in both of their previous encounters, while River Plate managed to keep a clean sheet in one game. However, their upcoming opponent will be the toughest challenge for the Argentinians in this tournament, making it extremely difficult to keep a clean sheet. We anticipate that the match will not end with minimal scoring – a bet on over 2 goals seems justified.

🚩 Corners Prediction

Inter have taken a total of 11 corners across two matches in the tournament – 6 against Monterrey and 5 against Urawa. River Plate, despite their attacking style, earned only one corner against the Japanese side but made up for it with nine corners in their clash with the Mexicans. Both teams actively utilize wing play, where players frequently resort to dribbling, crosses, and cutbacks. Additionally, shots on goal should be considered – any deflection or spectacular save could result in a corner. Taking all this into account, a bet on total corners over 8.5 seems logical.

We anticipate a true football thriller in the upcoming clash, with both teams stepping onto the pitch fueled by competitive spirit and a thirst for victory, eager to prove who truly deserves the top spot in Group E. No one wants to take risks and rely on the outcome of the parallel match, where Monterrey might defeat Urawa, so a draw seems unlikely here.

Inter are considered the favorites, yet they have conceded in each of their two matches so far. For River Plate, this will be the toughest test in the tournament. We expect an electrifying performance from Calidio and Mastantuono—they should be creating dangerous chances against Yann Sommer's goal. On the Italian side, look for the return of their attacking duo: Lautaro Martinez, who scored in both matches, and Marcus Thuram, back from injury. We believe that both teams will score (yes), with a final scoreline possibly reading 2-1 in favor of Inter.