Club World Cup: A Cross-Continent Clash with No Room for Error

Inter Milan vs Fluminense

Another cross-continent clash at the Club World Cup and this time there’s no room for error.

We are into the knockout stages and, as far as this SBOTOP observer is concerned, this is when the tournament really begins. For this is a contest with the potential for World Club Championship 2025 highlights.

So far Stateside, the Brazilian clubs have made the gap between South America and Europe look smaller. Now we are about to find out whether that perception is justified.

 

Talking Points

The boys from Brazil are giving it a damn good go and, sure enough, it’s four from four in the last 16 after Fluminense followed Flamengo, Botafogo and Palmeiras through.

Flamengo’s thrilling 3-1 success over Chelsea in the group stages rekindled some of the romance associated with the continent’s football and sparked the thought that perhaps some of South America’s finest can compete with their much more lucratively-backed European counterparts.

This is a litmus test to that suggestion: a knockout encounter for Fluminense against the side which, until recently, was dominating Italian football and even reached the Champions League Final.

They will hope to fare better than their counterparts as all the Argentine clubs have now been eliminated and it was Inter Milan who scored twice in the last 18 minutes in midweek to beat River Plate 2-0 and progress to the knockout stage as Group E winners.

There was a feisty end to the encounter when Denzel Dumfries and Marcos Acuña had to be separated as a heated brawl erupted after the full-time whistle. There is a history as Dumfries and Acuña already fought during and after the 2022 World Cup quarter-final between Argentina and Holland, with the Inter defender sent off during the penalty shootout for trying to disturb his opponents.

Francesco Pio Esposito scored Inter’s first goal seven minutes after River had been reduced to 10 men following the dismissal of Lucas Martínez Quarta, and Alessandro Bastoni then added the second in stoppage time.

The way the 20-times Italian champions were mercilessly brushed aside in that Champions League Final was a devastation they may struggle to recover from for some time.

What was particularly surprising was the way they were devastatingly dismissed on the back of an epic semi-final success against Barcelona.

In the space of just a few short days, the club was turned upside down and impressive manager Simone Inzaghi quickly departed.

But if ever there was an immediate way to bounce back, it is the opportunity that the Club World Cup in America now provides.

New boss Christian Chivu has been quite cautious with his changes in the tournament so far, sticking with a core number of players across the three group games.

Stephen de Vrij could come back into the backline but expect the front two of Martinez and Esposito to continue their good work against Fluminense.

A few days ago, Inter confirmed a fresh injury concern for Hakan Calhanoglu, who has been diagnosed with a soleus issue and is at risk to feature in the FIFA Club World Cup.

I don’t expect him to be involved in this or the remainder of the tournament if the Italians progress.

Two clean sheets out of three suggest that the Brazilians are a tough nut to crack – the Rio-based outfit have kept a clean sheet in four of their last five competitive matches – and I expect them to deploy the same game plan in this last-16 meeting.

 Veteran Thiago Silva was rested for the group stage stalemate with Mamelodi Sundowns, but will take his place in the back four as his experience will be vital for Fluminense.

 

History

This will be the first ever meeting between the clubs. Fluminense qualified for the Club World Cup by winning the Copa Libertadores in 2023, the first in their history.

 

Betting Tip

Inter are clear favourites but there is an attraction in backing the Brazilians with our World Club Championship 2025 betting odds.

The Nerazzurri are priced 1X2 @ 1.83 and Asian Handicap -0.75 @ 2.07 compared to Fluminense 1X2 @ 3.84 and Asian Handicap +0.50 @ 2.05.

The draw will pay out @ 3.18.

If you fancy a few goals as I do, then why not look at Over 2.50 goals @ 2.11, Total Goals 2-3 @ 1.97 and 4-6 @ 3.66.

I just think Inter will be too strong for the side which is currently sixth in the Brazilian league and my *** tip is Half Time Full Time Home Home @ 2.61.

   

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