🔊 Will Monterrey make it to the playoffs of the FIFA Club World Cup? In the final round of the group stage, Urawa Red Diamonds face Monterrey at the Rose Bowl. The Japanese side are already out of contention after two defeats, while the Mexicans still harbor hopes of advancing. To keep their campaign alive, Monterrey need to defeat their opponents in this upcoming clash and rely on a favorable outcome in the parallel match between Inter and River Plate. Check out all the scenarios and our insightful prediction below.

Head-to-Head

📊 The teams have never faced each other in either friendly or official matches before – the upcoming game will mark their first-ever encounter.

Urawa Red Diamonds Team Overview

🔴 After falling to River Plate in the first round (1-3), Maciej Skorża's squad faced a tough challenge in the second round against last season's Champions League finalists, Inter Milan. The Japanese side impressed in the first half, netting an early goal in the 11th minute. Takuro Kaneko made a brilliant run down the right flank and delivered a low cross into the box, which Ryoma Watanabe converted, later earning him the Man of the Match honors. Urawa Reds went into halftime with a narrow lead.

⚫ In the second half, the Japanese team managed to hold off Inter's relentless attacks for a considerable time. However, they conceded a goal from a corner in the 78th minute. The Italians kept up the pressure until the final whistle and finally broke through in the 92nd minute. The match ended in a heartbreaking 2-1 defeat for Urawa Reds.

4️⃣ Unfortunately for the club, after two losses, Urawa Reds sit in fourth place in Group E and have lost their chance to advance to the playoffs. Even if they secure a win against Monterrey, they can't catch up with Inter and River Plate, both of whom have 4 points going into the third round.

CF Monterrey Team Overview

🔵 The "Striped Ones" truly embody the spirit of Latin American football—they fear no giants and go toe-to-toe with the group's leaders. After a draw with Inter in the opening round, their next challenge was River Plate. Despite the Argentinians dominating possession and creating more chances, Monterrey's defense, led by captain Sergio Ramos and goalkeeper Esteban Andrada, who made six saves, managed to keep a clean sheet, although Monterrey offered little in attack. The result was a goalless draw, leaving Domenec Torrent's side in third place in the group with two points from two matches.

⚪ After two rounds, Monterrey sit in third place with two points. A win against Urawa Reds, combined with a loss by either team in the parallel match between Inter and River Plate (both on four points), would see Monterrey advance to the playoffs with five points. If the Mexicans win and the match between the Italians and Argentinians ends in a draw, all three teams would have five points, and the spots in the next round would go to those with the best goal difference. Dropping points against the Japanese side is not an option for Monterrey, as it would eliminate their chances of progressing from the group.

Latest news

Urawa Red Diamonds

🎙 Maciej Skorża shared his thoughts at the post-match press conference following the game against Inter: "I want to express great respect for the players and the entire team. The match was extremely challenging. We understood that to achieve a result, we needed to be organized defensively. I believe we managed that in the first half. In the second half, it became evident that we were struggling physically, and our defensive effectiveness declined. Conceding in added time is very painful and emotionally tough. If I could change anything, it would probably be our experience in matches of this caliber. We are already out of the tournament and can only fight for a win in the final game—our only victory in this competition. Honestly, I thought we had a better chance of beating River Plate than Inter. We had very little time to prepare for the match against the Italians—just one tactical session and a few team meetings. Given the circumstances we faced, I am truly proud of my team."

💊 All registered players are available to the coaching staff and are preparing for the upcoming match against Monterrey.

CF Monterrey

🎙 Domenec Torrent shared his thoughts on the match against River Plate: “We still have a shot at advancing from the group. Today, we faced one of Argentina's top teams—a real test for us. The game was intense, with frequent fouls disrupting the tempo. In the first half, we performed better than we did against Inter, but there were individual mistakes, particularly in duels—we need to work on that. The issue lies in our positional play: there's a lot of movement, but not always effectively. Our attack lacks clarity and coordination. Despite River's pressure, we managed to regain some control defensively, but we need to improve offensively. The support from the fans was fantastic. Team leader Sergio Ramos helps maintain our focus. The guys fought until the end, but we must enhance our positional play, attacking actions, and off-the-ball movement. There's potential, and we'll keep working to get stronger.”

❌ Center-back Carlos Salcedo continues his recovery from a cruciate ligament knee injury.

🟨 Referee and Yellow Cards

🟨 Referee and Yellow Cards

The match between Urawa and Monterrey will be officiated by German referee Felix Zwayer. On average, he hands out 4.8 yellow cards per game—a fairly high number. Urawa received 2 cautions in their first match and 3 in the second, averaging 2.5 per game. Monterrey picked up one yellow card against Inter and five in the clash with River Plate, averaging 3 per game. Considering both teams' stats and Zwayer's officiating style, it's quite likely that the total yellow cards will exceed 3.5.

⚽ Goal Prediction

The Japanese side, despite being the underdogs, found the net in both of their matches—against River and Inter—unlike Monterrey. Additionally, in terms of expected goals (xG) over the previous two rounds, Urawa outperformed their opponents: 1.54 xG for the Japanese compared to 1.21 for the Mexicans. Therefore, we recommend betting on Urawa to score in the upcoming match.

🚩 Corner Prediction

Monterrey have taken a total of six corners over their last two matches, while Urawa managed just two in the same period. Despite being the underdog, we don't see Monterrey completely dominating and creating significantly more chances than their opponent. We don't anticipate a high-scoring affair or a large number of set pieces, so we suggest considering a bet on total corners under 10.5.

Monterrey enter the match as favorites, driven by a strong motivation to secure a decisive win and advance to the playoffs. With the presence of seasoned players like Sergio Ramos, Sergio Canales, Oliver Torres, Lucas Ocampos, and Jesus Corona, they have the potential to achieve the desired result. However, the "Striped Ones" have yet to display the attacking prowess expected from such a lineup, possibly due to facing group leaders.

While a victory for the Japanese side seems unlikely, they shouldn't be underestimated—Urawa are a disciplined team with an organized defense, capable of launching attacks both through counterattacks and ball control. Although the Japanese club might lack the individual talent compared to their Mexican counterparts, our editorial team believes that Urawa Reds' discipline could pose challenges for their opponents. Our prediction is a Monterrey win. The likely score: 2-1 in favor of the Mexicans.