Sunday, June 15

Sports Mole previews Tuesday's Club World Cup clash between Monterrey and Inter Milan, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.

After suffering a painful end to the 2024-25 season, Italian giants Inter Milan kick off their Club World Cup campaign on Tuesday, when they meet Monterrey in Pasadena.

Keen to make a fresh start under new management, the Serie A and Champions League runners-up join their Mexican counterparts in Group E, alongside River Plate and Urawa Red Diamonds.

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Match preview

One of two Italian teams taking part in this year’s new-look tournament, in addition to old foes Juventus, 2010 Club World Cup winners Inter qualified via UEFA’s four-year rankings.

The Nerazzurri reached the 2023 Champions League final, where they were edged out by Manchester City, and picked up more qualification points by virtue of last season’s eventful run through to Munich.

However, a 5-0 humiliation at the hands of Paris Saint-Germain - just days after ceding the Scudetto to Napoli - heralded rapid change in Milan, with head coach Simone Inzaghi swiftly departing for Saudi Arabia.

Despite his relative inexperience, ex-Inter defender Cristian Chivu - who also spent several years coaching in the club’s primavera - was appointed as Inzaghi’s successor, following an impressive 13-game spell at Parma.

Twice winners of the Intercontinental Cup during the mid-1960s, Inter have a proud history in global competition, so Chivu will be expected to rally his weary troops and reach the latter stages this summer.

After meeting Monterrey at the iconic Rose Bowl, the Nerazzurri face Japan’s Urawa Red Diamonds, before a mouthwatering clash with River Plate in Seattle; so their first task will be to avoid an embarrassing early exit.

Though Tuesday’s game marks these clubs’ first competitive contest, they have actually met once before, in a friendly fixture 31 years ago. Both Inter and AC Milan travelled to Mexico for the Tecate Cup back in 1994, and the Nerazzurri defeated Monterrey on that occasion.

One of two Liga MX sides taking part in this year’s expanded tournament, Los Rayados qualified as winners of the 2021 CONCACAF Champions League - their fifth continental title in a decade. Their best previous Club World Cup appearances were in 2012 and 2019, when they finished third, but the competition now runs much deeper.

Monterrey have also won five domestic titles to date, but none since the 2019 Apertura; they crashed out in last term’s Clausura quarter-finals, losing to Toluca on away goals, having already exited the renamed Champions Cup to Vancouver Whitecaps.

Those setbacks cost Argentinian coach Martin Demichelis his job, so former Barcelona and Manchester City assistant Domenec Torrent - who failed to make an impact as boss of Galatasaray or Flamengo - will lead the Albiazules in America.

The Nuevo Leon club have invested heavily in experienced stars from Spain’s La Liga, bolstering a squad packed with Latin American internationals, so they may fancy their chances of escaping Group E.

Monterrey form (all competitions): W W L W W L

Inter Milan form (all competitions): W W W D W L

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Team News

Inter have experienced plenty of turmoil in their attacking department ahead of Tuesday’s Club World Cup opener, as three reserve strikers that regularly featured last season will all be unavailable.

Joaquin Correa and Marko Arnautovic have left on free transfers, while Iran international Mehdi Taremi is unable to travel to the USA amid airstrikes in his homeland: the 32-year-old is grounded in Tehran, where he was visiting to accept an award as Iranian footballer of the year.

Midfielder Piotr Zielinski is also a doubt, due to a calf problem, but such absences could open up opportunities for returning loanees Sebastiano and Francesco Pio Esposito, plus new signings Petar Sucic and Luis Henrique.

Unless Cristian Chivu makes concessions for fatigue, Marcus Thuram should partner captain Lautaro Martinez up front in a familiar 3-5-2 formation; the latter scored 22 goals across all competitions last term, but struggled through the season’s climax with a thigh problem.

Meanwhile, Monterrey’s attack is led by German Berterame, who registered 20 Liga MX goals last season. Born in Argentina, he moved to Mexico in 2019 and won his first cap for El Tri last year.

Los Rayados can also call upon several familiar players, such as Sergio Canales, Oliver Torres, Lucas Ocampos and Sergio Ramos. Now 39, the latter has four Club World Cups to his name so far, and he will captain the side from central defence after returning from a month-long layoff. However, long-term absentee Carlos Salcedo is still sidelined.

Set-piece specialist Canales has racked up 31 goals and 16 assists in two years at the club, and he should link up with veteran winger Jesus Corona in support of lone frontman Berterame.

Monterrey possible starting lineup: Andrada; Medina, Rodriguez, Ramos, Arteaga; Ambriz, Chavez; Torres, Canales, Corona; Berterame

Inter Milan possible starting lineup: Sommer; Pavard, Acerbi, Bastoni; Dumfries, Barella, Calhanoglu, Sucic, Dimarco; Thuram, Martinez

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We say: Monterrey 1-1 Inter Milan

 

Both sides suffered disappointment in their domestic and continental competitions, but Inter's woes run deeper and a tired squad needs time to rebuild.

While the Nerazzurri are both physically and mentally jaded, Monterrey may sense an opportunity, using all their experience to start Group E by claiming a precious point.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.

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