Club World Cup: Heartbroken Inter’s Bid for Redemption Starts Here

Monterrey vs Inter Milan

This SBOTOP writer spends most of his time in a small Island situated between England and Ireland but even I could feel the tangible hurt that Inter Milan suffered a fortnight ago. 

The way they were mercilessly brushed aside in the 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 has been turned upside down. 

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

 

Talking Points 

Just imagine the lift the Nerazzurri would get if they could return from the United States as winners after a season in which they lost in the Champions League Final, were pipped to the Serie A title by a point and were knocked out of the Coppa Italia at the semi-final stage by city rivals Milan. 

My colleague informs me that this incarnation of the tournament is the biggest one yet and, of course, he is right – even if there is a serious question mark about some of its participants. 

It certainly has hallmarks for plenty of World Club Championship 2025 highlights, although if I don’t expect the majority to arrive until the knockout stages. 

After losing two Champions League finals in three seasons to state-owned investment funds, a result which reduced some of their fans to tears, Simone Inzaghi has bid farewell. 

He departed Inter with six trophies won, including the club’s historic 20th league title, two Coppa Italia trophies and three Supercoppa successes. 

Football is a ruthless business and he has been quickly replaced by Cristian Chivu, the former Romanian international who has signed a two year deal at the club. 

The 44 year-old rejoins the club where he was a player and later youth coach, after a four-month spell in Serie A with Parma, whom he guided to Serie A safety in the final weekend of the recently concluded campaign. 

Just imagine if he could have an instant impact and ease the pain Inter’s players and fans are currently experiencing. 

He’s not the only new face as they have already brought in two new signings, welcoming Petar Sucic from Dinamo Zagreb and Luis Henrique from Marseille. 

The Nerazzurri begin their bid for redemption in the Rose Bowl, the stadium which hosted the 1994 World Cup Final against Mexican opponents who may be outsiders but are no fresh faced opponents. 

Winners of the CONCACAF Champions Cup in 2021, the Mexicans have participated in the previous Club World Cup five times and have just appointed Spanish manager Domènec Torrent in time for the tournament. 

Replacing former Argentine defender Martín Demichelis, Torrent was part of Pep Guardiola’s staff at Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Manchester City for a decade from 2008. 

The strength of their side lies in the midfield where they have former Real Madrid man Sergio Canales who, even at 34, is a threat. Colombian midfielder Nelson Deossa, is a tricky operator and ahead of that duo is Argentine-born centre-forward German Berterame who typically plays as Monterrey’s lone number nine. 

The squad also includes former Sevilla players Óliver Torres and Lucas Ocampos (who also played for AC Milan and Genoa), Mexican international Héctor Moreno (a national team veteran) and the highly talented Jesús Corona, who played for Sevilla and Porto in Europe. 

This will be a potentially tricky opener for Inter and Monterrey may sense their vulnerability. 

 

History 

Inter and the Mexicans have played each other once, but never in competitive football. Back in 1994, the two sides met in a tournament, The Tecate Cup, in a semi-final which Inter won 1-0 thanks to a goal by Igor Shalimov. 

 

Betting Tip 

Few give the Mexicans a chance and that is reflected with the World Club Championship 2025 betting odds which offer them up both 1X2 @ 5.30 and Asian Handicap +1.00 @ 2.03. 

Inter are on offer 1X2 @ 1.43 and Asian Handicap -1.25 @ 2.11. 

Even the draw @ 3.88 seems generous. 

Given they have never met competitively, there is no previous encounter to go on, but it’s fair to say there may be a fair few goals, the options for which include 2-3 @ 1.97 and 4-6 @ 2.77. 

Total goal 0-1 @ 3.45 is attractive but, even with a new period beginning after the Inzaghi era, they should have too much firepower to emerge triumphant with a bit to spare. 

   

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