Sabasports Match Preview
Club World Cup: Inter vs River Plate
Kickoff Time: 2025-06-26 09:00 (HKT)
Source:REUTERS/KELVIN KUO
Inter secured their first group stage victory in a 2-1 last-minute win over Urawa Red Diamonds in their previous match. Currently, Inter and River Plate are both sitting on four points, but they are ranked second in the group due to a worse goal difference. Despite the appointment of new head coach Cristian Chivu, Inter has continued to use the same three-center-back system, so there hasn’t been much change in their tactical approach. However, looking at the first two matches, the team’s defensive performance has slightly declined, as they have conceded goals in both games. Chivu hasn’t made significant changes to the tactics. It will be his key task to develop new elements based on the existing structure. It’s worth noting that perhaps due to the high temperatures in the United States, Inter has struggled to get off to a strong start in their first two matches. The team usually only starts to control the game after conceding an early goal.
River Plate drew 0-0 with Monterrey in their previous match, and currently leads the group with one win and one draw, remaining unbeaten. Their performance has been quite impressive. River Plate plays a 4-3-3 formation, and they favor an intense pressing style without the ball. They excel at stretching the field from the high line, using quick passing and cutting between the lines by their fullbacks and forwards to break down opponents’ defenses. Notably, the young talent Franco Mastantuono is one of the key players for River Plate. He possesses excellent skills, and he is particularly effective at scoring directly from free kicks. In most cases, River Plate will look to create scoring chances for Mastantuono whenever possible. In the current Argentine Primera Division season, he has already contributed four goals and four assists, making him an essential part of the attack.
In terms of overall strength, Inter is undoubtedly superior to River Plate. However, in this Club World Cup, South American teams have generally performed better than European sides. A major reason for this is that South American clubs have had regular league competitions to maintain their match fitness, and they are also more accustomed to the climate in the United States. Considering Inter’s slow starts in this tournament, facing a well-performing River Plate in this match is not something they should underestimate.
Inter’s Last 5 Games: WDLWD
25-06-22 Inter 2-1 Urawa Red Diamonds
25-06-18 Monterrey 1-1 Inter
25-06-01 Paris Saint-Germain 5-0 Inter
25-05-24 Como 1907 0-2 Inter
25-05-19 Inter 2-2 Lazio
River Plate’s Last 5 Games: DWDDW
25-06-22 River Plate 0-0 Monterrey
25-06-18 River Plate 3-1 Urawa Red Diamonds
25-05-28 River Plate 1-1 Universitario de Deportes
25-05-21 River Plate 1-1 Club Atletico Platense (PEN 2-4)
25-05-16 River Plate 6-2 Independiente del Valle
Head To Head Record:
None
Prediction: River Plate to win or Draw