Inter Milan vs. River Plate: Projected lineups for the decisive match of Group E in the Club World Cup

Group E of the 2025 Club World Cup is going down to the wire, with River Plate, Inter Milan, and Monterrey all fighting for two spots in the Round of 16. With only one matchday remaining, the results of today’s games will determine who moves on — and who goes home.

Group E of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup is set to reach a thrilling conclusion this Wednesday with a decisive final matchday. Only two spots are available for the Round of 16, and three teams still have a real shot: River Plate, Inter Milan, and Monterrey. With the standings razor-tight, today’s matches will determine who stays in the competition.

River Plate and Inter Milan will go head-to-head at 9 PM ET, in a direct clash that could seal both teams’ fate. River comes into the match after a scoreless draw with Monterrey and a win over Urawa Red Diamonds. Inter Milan also sits on four points, having earned a draw and a win. A draw could see both teams advance, depending on the scoreline.

Meanwhile, Monterrey must beat Urawa Red Diamonds and keep a close eye on the result of River vs. Inter. If there is a winner in that match and Rayados wins their game, they will advance to the next round. However, if River and Inter draw 2–2 or higher, Monterrey will be automatically eliminated due to FIFA’s competition rules and tiebreakers.

Amid this tense scenario, managers Marcelo Gallardo (River) and Cristian Chivu (Inter) are finalizing their starting lineups for this crucial clash. River will rely on a squad filled with familiar faces, while Inter looks to lean on the experience and quality of its top-tier stars.

Expected lineup River Platevs. Inter Milan

River Plate: Franco Armani; Lucas Martínez Quarta, Germán Pezzella, Paulo Díaz, Gonzalo Montiel; Ignacio Fernández, Matías Kranevitter, Maxi Meza; Marcos Acuña, Franco Mastantuono, Facundo Colidio.

Inter Milan: Yann Sommer; Benjamin Pavard, Francesco Acerbi, Alessandro Bastoni, Denzel Dumfries; Nicolò Barella, Kristjan Asllani, Henrikh Mkhitaryan; Carlos Augusto, Lautaro Martínez, Sebastiano Esposito.