🔊 Which team will secure a spot in the quarter-finals of the Club World Cup? Bookmakers have made Inter the favorite. However, Brazilian teams have been impressive in the tournament, advancing through the group stage with their full squads intact. Fluminense stands out as a prominent representative. There are compelling arguments for both sides. Therefore, we will explore different scenarios to make an insightful prediction. It's worth noting that the match will take place at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, where very hot weather (+32°C) is expected.

Head-to-Head

📊 The opponents have not faced each other before.

Inter Milano Team Overview

🔵 Inter were caught off guard by Simone Inzaghi's departure, especially after missing out on the Serie A title and suffering a heavy defeat to PSG in the Champions League final. In such situations, club management often looks for a specialist from within their ranks. The choice fell on Cristian Chivu, who lacks extensive experience but saw his Parma side finish the season strongly.

⚫ At the Club World Cup, Inter found themselves in a relatively easy group. However, they stumbled in the first round, managing only a 1-1 draw against Monterrey. From there, the team gained momentum. Despite squad issues, the players hit top form. For instance, in the last half-hour against Urawa, the Nerazzurri turned the match around (2-1), equalizing and snatching a victory in stoppage time. They also defeated River Plate (2-0), aided significantly by an opponent's red card. Ultimately, Inter topped Group E.

🔝 Inter's main star is Lautaro Martinez. His season was marred by an injury that caused him to miss several matches and play below his best. The Argentine has been with Inter for seven seasons, and statistically, this has been one of his least successful, with only his first season being worse. This season, Martinez scored just 12 goals in Serie A, compared to at least 21 in each of the previous three campaigns. At the Club World Cup, Martinez has been indispensable. His goals secured the draw with Monterrey and helped complete a comeback against Urawa.

Fluminense Team Overview

🔴 Fluminense were in excellent form heading into the FIFA Club World Cup. They secured four consecutive victories across various competitions, climbing into the top six of Brazil's Serie A.

🟢 In the current tournament, Fluminense found themselves in a relatively straightforward group. Their only significant challenge was Borussia Dortmund, whom they faced in the opening round. The match ended in a goalless draw (0-0), yet it was Fluminense's best performance in the tournament. The "Tricolor" managed to score only against Ulsan (4-2), despite trailing during the match. In the third round, a draw against Mamelodi Sundowns was sufficient, and Fluminense openly played for it (0-0). The South African side were the more active team, with Fluminense failing to register a single shot on target. Nevertheless, they secured second place in Group F.

🔝 One of the key players in Fluminense's attack is Germán Cano. Despite his age (37), he is the team's top scorer this season, netting 14 goals across all competitions. Cano missed over a month of action and only returned in time for the Club World Cup. Against Borussia Dortmund, he came off the bench and played just 21 minutes. In other matches, he started but failed to find the back of the net, recording only one assist.

Latest news

Inter Milano

🎙 Inter's head coach Cristian Chivu summed up the match against River Plate: “The most important thing is that we did our job. We qualified. The first half was very tough. In the second half, we controlled the game better, managed the space, and after the opponent's red card, it became much easier for us.”

📝 Cristian Chivu is counting on Ange-Yoan Bonny, with whom he has worked at Parma. The club is offering 22 million euros plus bonuses, but the seller is asking for more.

❌ Denzel Dumfries missed the first two matches at the Club World Cup, but he played the full 90 minutes against River Plate. So far, Piotr Zielinski, Hakan Calhanoglu, and Marcus Thuram have not featured in the tournament. A positive outlook surrounds Thuram's participation, so he is expected to be included in the squad for the next match. Benjamin Pavard was injured in the first round, and Matteo Darmian in the third. Their participation in the upcoming fixture remains uncertain.

Fluminense

🎙 For midfielder Nonato, seeing all four Brazilian teams advance to the playoffs came as no surprise: “This is an incredible moment for me, for the team, for the fans, and for our country. We have four Brazilian teams in the Round of 16, so the feeling is amazing... It's not a surprise for us because we already knew our level of play and our quality.”

📌 A homeless man broke into the room of Fluminense defender Ignacio. The incident occurred in Columbia, South Carolina, where the Brazilian club is based during the Club World Cup. The player returned to his room but couldn't enter as the door was locked. Security personnel entered the room and found a homeless man sleeping. He hadn't stolen or damaged anything, and no one was harmed. He was removed from the hotel, and security measures have been increased.

❌ Fluminense will be without Yeferson Soteldo and Otavio due to injuries at the Club World Cup. However, Thiago Silva is expected to return to the starting lineup after missing the last round.

🟨 Yellow Card Prediction

🟨 Yellow Card Prediction

In the current tournament, Inter hold the edge in yellow cards, averaging 2.3 compared to 2. A standout match was against River Plate, where both sides received four cautions each. However, it was the Argentine team that instigated the rough play and unsportsmanlike behavior. On average, matches involving the Nerazzurri see five yellow cards. In 2 out of 3 matches featuring Fluminense, the tally reached four warnings. Therefore, it's worth considering a bet on total yellow cards over 3.5.

⚽️ Goal Prediction

Matches involving these teams in the Club World Cup haven't been particularly high-scoring affairs. This is especially true for Fluminense, who recorded two goalless draws in the group stage. In 2 out of 3 matches featuring Inter, no more than two goals were scored, with the third goal against Urawa coming only in added time. Considering the playoffs are starting and the weather conditions remain challenging, we suggest a bet on total goals under 2.5.

🚩 Corner Prediction

Fluminense delivered 20 corners in the group stage, with 19 coming in the first two matches. Inter notched up 15 corners, distributed more evenly across three rounds. Both teams are active in this aspect, so a high number of corner kicks is expected. We recommend betting on total corners over 8.5.

Inter are the favorites heading into this meeting, remaining unbeaten in the tournament, much like Fluminense. However, Kivu's side have shown growth throughout the competition and have been particularly active towards the end of games. The opposite seems true for the "Tricolores," who played their best match in the opening round and their worst in the third. Therefore, we lean towards an Inter victory, possibly with a scoreline of 1-0.

This upcoming match could be the toughest challenge for the Italian team yet. Fluminense have demonstrated their ability to defend well and slow down the game, something Inter might adopt if they take the lead. The Brazilian side hasn't been prolific in front of goal even before the Club World Cup, and they've only scored in one match during this tournament. Thus, we don't expect a high-scoring affair, but given the average stats, there should be plenty of corners. We stick with the bet mentioned above—over 8.5 corners total.