Club World Cup Preview: Inter vs River Plate – Team News, Line-ups & Prediction | OneFootball

A place in the FIFA Club World Cup quarter-finals is on the line as Inter and River Plate go head-to-head at Lumen Field in Seattle. The two teams sitting at the top of Group E battle it out for more than just bragging rights.

Despite going unbeaten on the opening two matchdays, Inter and River Plate could still miss out on knockout qualification. Locked on four points, they boast a two-point lead over third-placed CF Monterrey, who should get the better of basement boys Urawa Reds in their final-day fixture.

As such, the margin for error is thin. A draw should propel Inter into the knockouts regardless of Monterrey’s result. However, a win would guarantee a favorable knockout draw. More importantly, it would settle fans’ nerves after two lackluster performances.

New boss Cristian Chivu has yet to find the proper balance. After a scrappy 1-1 draw against the Liga MX giants, Inter needed a late comeback to beat Urawa 2-1 as Lautaro Martinez and Valentin Carboni inspired the Nerazzurri to a last-gasp victory.

On the other hand, River Plate failed to build on a 3-1 rout of the J1 League outfit, sharing the spoils with Monterrey in an ill-tempered scoreless draw. Head coach Marcelo Gallardo lost first-choice midfielder Kevin Castano to suspension as the Argentines squandered a chance to lock down a top-two finish with a game to spare.

Match Preview

Inter

Plagued by injuries and fatigue, Inter have been far from their best in the United States. The best defensive team of the 2024/25 Champions League’s league phase collapsed in both Group E outings. Chivu can only hope his side can regain the resilience that helped them qualify for the showpiece event in May.

Prone to collapsing early on, Inter have conceded the opening goal in 18 matches since the beginning of the 2024/25 season. Ominously, they let their opposition draw first blood in both Club World Cup games this season before bouncing back. However, a change of attitude in the opening minutes would be a welcome boost.

Adding to this sentiment, seven of Inter’s last 12 encounters have seen the winner keep a clean sheet. Therefore, a quick-fire start would go a long way toward setting the tone for a much-needed victory. Yet, it’s hard to shake off the feeling of Inter being increasingly dependent on Lautaro’s performance.

If Chivu is to make a standout result in his first tournament as Inter boss, others must step up. With that in mind, Marcus Thuram’s return to fitness could be critical heading into this crunch meeting. Per Sky Sport journalist Matteo Barzaghi via InterNews, the French star is close to full recovery.

River Plate

With all eyes on Real Madrid-bound Franco Mastantuono, River Plate displayed some thrilling sequences against Urawa. Yet, they stuttered against Monterrey despite strengthening their rich vein of form, making it only three defeats from their last 27 competitive matches (W14, D11).

Still a long way off from becoming the first Argentine club to win the Club World Cup, River Plate must prove they can handle European opposition. Their only previous clash against clubs from Europe’s top-five leagues in this competition yielded a 3-0 loss to Barcelona in 2015.

An improvement would have to come at long odds, even though their scintillating run gives the impression that the Millionaires are capable of upsetting the apple cart. Nonetheless, fans in attendance will probably enjoy a spectacle, not least because eight of River’s last 11 games have featured 3+ goals.

At the same time, this could be a feisty contest. River’s two Club World Cup matches this summer have seen 16 yellow cards, highlighting the intense physicality and high tension.

Team News

Chivu can’t take Thuram’s recovery for granted, given the Frenchman’s troubling medical history in 2025. Therefore, Francesco Pio Esposito could join forces with Lautaro in attack. Meanwhile, Hakan Calhanoglu, Yann Bisseck, Piotr Zielinski, Davide Frattesi, and Mehdi Taremi are unavailable for selection.

As for River Plate, Enzo Perez and Giuliano Galoppo have accumulated yellow cards and will join Castano on the sidelines. The rest of the squad is fit and ready for this ‘make or break’ showdown, including former Fiorentina center-back Lucas Martinez Quarta.

Inter vs River Plate Potential Starting Line-ups

Inter (3-5-2): Sommer; De Vrij, Acerbi, Bastoni; Dumfries, Barella, Calhanoglu, Mkhitaryan, Dimarco; F.P. Esposito, Martinez.

River Plate (4-3-3): Armani; Montiel, Martinez Quarta, Diaz; Acuna; Fernandez, Kranevitter, Aliendro; Mastantuono, Colidio, Meza.

Inter vs River Plate Prediction

Though both teams have missing players going into this clash, Inter’s strength in depth could make a crucial difference. Chivu’s charges should eke out a narrow win and make it out of this group as table-toppers.