Inter Battles Fluminense in Club World Cup Round of 16

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina — Inter Milan faces Fluminense on Monday at the Bank of America Stadium as both teams vie for a spot in the Club World Cup quarter-finals.

Kickoff is set for 3 p.m. ET. Inter enters the match as Group E winners, having secured two wins and one draw in group play. Fluminense, finishing as runners-up in Group F, advanced with one win and two draws.

The winner will meet either Manchester City or Al Hilal in the next round. Inter has made one change to its starting lineup, with goalkeeper Yann Sommer and defenders Matteo Darmian, Stefan de Vrij, and Alessandro Bastoni forming the backline. Midfielders Nicolo Barella and Henrikh Mkhitaryan support strikers Marcus Thuram and Lautaro Martinez.

Fluminense welcomes back veteran defender Thiago Silva, who missed the last match due to injury. The Brazilian team will line up with Fabio in goal, supported by defenders Xavier, Silva, Freytes, and Rene. The midfield will feature Martinelli and Hércules, while Jhon Arias and Everaldo lead the attack.

The weather may pose challenges, as thunderstorms disrupted a previous match at the stadium. Fans are advised to prepare for possible delays again.

Both teams are in good form; Inter recently defeated River Plate 2-0, secured by goals from Francesco Pio Esposito and Alessandro Bastoni. Meanwhile, Fluminense is unbeaten in its last nine matches across all competitions and aims to maintain its momentum against Inter.

As the match approaches, expectations run high, with many fans anticipating a close contest. Inter is favored to win, but Fluminense’s impressive group-stage performance indicates they should not be overlooked.

With Cristiano Chivu leading Inter after Simone Inzaghi‘s departure, fans will be eager to see if the new coach can guide the team to victory this afternoon.