Inter are aiming to book their place in the Club World Cup quarterfinals when they face Brazilian outfit Fluminense on Monday.
The Rio-based Flu were one of four Série A teams to progress into the knockout stages of the revamped tournament, but they finished behind Borussia Dortmund in Group F to set up a daunting round of 16 clash with the UEFA Champions League finalists.
The Nerazzurri are now led by former player Cristian Chivu after Simone Inzaghi opted for the riches of Al Hilal, but there are few signs of a drastic systematic overhaul. Inter have eased into this summer’s tournament, with their best performance saved for the all-important fixture against River Plate.
Their 2–0 victory was sealed by a lovely solo goal from Alessandro Bastoni in stoppage time.
Fluminense, meanwhile, have extended their unbeaten run in all competitions to nine games and were particularly impressive in their opening fixture against Borussia Dortmund. That was one of two group stage stalemates, but a 4–2 win over Ulsan HD ensured they qualified.
Here's Sports Illustrated's guide to this Club World Cup round of 16 clash.
What Time Does Inter vs. Fluminense Kick-Off?
- Location: Charlotte, United States
- Stadium: Bank of America Stadium
- Date: Monday, June 30
- Kick-off Time: 3 p.m. ET / noon PT / 8 p.m. BST
- Referee: Iván Barton (SLV)
Inter vs. Fluminense Head-to-Head Record
This is the first competitive meeting between Inter and Fluminense.
Current Form (All Competitions)
How to Watch Inter Milan vs. Fluminense on TV
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Inter Team News
Marcus Thuram has been struggling with a thigh injury, but could return to the Inter squad on Monday. However, Francesco Esposito’s performance and goal against River Plate may convince Chivu to retain the young Italian striker alongside Lautaro Martínez up top.
Yann Bisseck is currently absent due to a hamstring issue, while Hakan Çalhanoğlu, Piotr Zielinski and Benjamin Pavard have also returned to Mulan.
Chivu has shuffled his pack around at the tournament so far, and there could be a first start for Davide Frattesi in midfield this summer. Petar Sučić may have played his way into the new manager’s starting XI off the back of his tidy cameo on Matchday 3 of the group stage.
Inter Milan Predicted Lineup vs. Fluminense
Inter Milan Predicted Lineup vs. Fluminense (3-5-2): Sommer; Darmian, Acerbi, Bastoni; Dumfries, Barella, Sučić, Frattesi, Dimarco; Esposito, Martínez
Fluminense Team News
Thiago Silva starred on Matchday 1 against Borussia Dortmund but was absent for their final group game against Mamelodi Sundowns through injury. While the 40-year-old is expected to be fit to face Inter, Renato Gaúcho does have Ignácio waiting in the wings.
Silva’s replacement was named Player of the Match on Matchday 3.
Recent addition Yeferson Soteldo could be fit to play a part on Monday, but Otavio remains out of action for the Brazilians. Jhon Arias has had an excellent tournament so far and will function as Fluminense’s chief threat in attack.
Fluminense Predicted Lineup vs. Inter
Fluminense Predicted Lineup vs. Inter (4-3-3): Fabio; Xavier, Silva, Freytes, Renê; Hércules, Martinelli; Arias, Nonato, Canobbio; Everaldo
Inter vs. Fluminense Score Prediction
Fluminense are in excellent form and should be bolstered by the returns of a couple of notable names on Monday. Despite conceding twice to Ulsan, they appear to be a formidable defensive unit that will force Inter to work mighty hard for their spot in the quarterfinals.
However, the nature of Inter’s performance against River was reassuring after a fairly slow start to the tournament. If they can once again play with such control complemented by final third efficiency, Chivu’s men should progress beyond the Brazilians.
Prediction: Inter Milan 1–0 Fluminense
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Inter vs. Fluminense: Preview, Predictions and Lineups.
