Inter Milan coach Cristian Chivu has decided to start Francesco Pio Esposito in attack and Denzel Dumfries at wingback against River Plate. Today’s final FIFA Club World Cup group stage match kicks off at 3.00 CET.
Inter Milan take on Argentine giants River Plate in the Club World Cup this evening.
And it is a massively important match. This is the final group stage match, with the Nerazzurri and River level on points at the top of the group – therefore, this is a decisive match for round of sixteen qualification.
Should Inter get at least a draw, then they are guaranteed to reach the knockouts. However, even if the Nerazzurri lose, they could still move on.
Gli 1️⃣1️⃣🖤💙 in campo per #InterRiverPlate 💪@FIFACWC | June 14 – July 13 | Every Game | Free | https://t.co/ngKr1QlJUk | @DAZNFootball @DAZN_IT #ForzaInter #FIFACWC #TakeItToTheWorld pic.twitter.com/4uy8gNgBA2
— Inter ⭐⭐ (@Inter) June 26, 2025
In this respect, the result of the other match in the group between Urawa Red Diamonds and Monterrey is also crucial.
Watch Inter Milan vs River Plate for FREE with DAZN on any device!
Francesco Pio Esposito Starts In Attack
The most notable name on the Inter teamsheet is that of striker Francesco Pio Esposito.
The 19-year-old makes his first ever senior start for the Nerazzurri.
Pio Esposito had come off the bench in Inter’s 2-1 win against Urawa Red Diamonds – he assisted Valentin Carboni for the dramatic later.
However, this is the Italy Under-21 international’s first ever start for Inter’s first team.
Meanwhile, Lautaro Martinez partners Pio Esposito in attack for the Nerazzurri.
Then, in goal it is Yann Sommer who once again starts.
In front of the Swiss, meanwhile, there is a back three of Alessandro Bastoni,
Denzel Dumfries Back Into The Starting Eleven
At left-wingback, meanwhile, Federico Dimarco starts.
Then, on the right, it is Denzel Dumfries. The Dutchman has returned to fitness, and comes straight back into the starting eleven.
In midfield, Chivu has gone with the trio of Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Kristjan Asllani, and Nicolo Barella.
In terms of injuries, meanwhile, Inter are without all of Yann Bisseck, Benjamin Pavard, Hakan Calhanoglu, Davide Frattesi, Piotr Zielinski, and Marcus Thuram.
Meanwhile, Mehdi Taremi remains in his home country of Iran. The 32-year-old has been unable to travel to the US due to the closure of Iranian airspace amid the escalating conflict with Israel.
Official Starting Lineups: River Plate Vs Inter Milan
Inter Milan (3-5-2): Yann Sommer; Matteo Darmian, Francesco Acerbi, Alessandro Bastoni; Denzel Dumfries, Nicolo Barella, Kristjan Asllani, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Federico Dimarco; Francesco Pio Esposito, Lautaro Martinez.
Substitutes: Josep Martinez, Raffaele Di Gennaro, Alessandro Calligaris, Stefan de Vrij, Tomas Palacios, Gabriele Re Cecconi, Carlos Augusto, Luis Henrique, Matteo Cocchi, Nicola Zalewski, Petar Sucic, Thomas Berenbruch, Valentin Carboni, Giacomo De Pieri, Sebastiano Esposito.
Coach: Cristian Chivu.
Suspended: no one.
Injured and unavailable: Piotr Zielinski, Mehdi Taremi, Yann Bisseck, Hakan Calhanoglu, Davide Frattesi, Marcus Thuram, Benjamin Pavard.
River Plate (4-2-3-1): Armani; Montiel, Paulo Diaz, Martinez Quarta, Acuña; Kranevitter, Aliendro; Meza, Mastantuono, Colidio; Borja.
Substitutes: Ledesma, Rivero, Gattoni, Casco, Bustos, Aliendro, Martinez, Rojas, Subiabre, Tapia, Lanzini, Borja.
Coach: Gallardo.
Suspended: Galoppo (1 match), Castaño (1 match), Perez (1 match).
Injured and unavailable: Driussi, Ruberto.
Referee: Tantashev.
Assistant referees: Tsapenko and Gaynullin.
Fourth official: Kawana-Waugh.
VAR: Al Marri, Evans, and Guzman.
This team is better than Inzaghi’s team pressing, possession and we are also better on the ball with Inzaghi we don’t press always sitting at the back waiting for the opponent to bring the ball into our area and also Inzaghi’s time always our players seems very tired that caused us the champions League final we were tied for the start of the whistle.
Best performance of the tournament so far!! Matched River for physicality in the first half, and then created tonnes in the second! Pio Esposito- A star is born!! Great finish, really composed, and wasn’t bullied by the River defence!! He simply has to stay!!
Sucic gets another assist, and we scored 2 nice goals from open play!!! No set pieces required!!
Shout out to DiMarco, who looked like his old self, and was putting a lot of dangerous balls into the box- surprised he was taken off, as he didn’t look tired, and was creating plenty…. Overall, a very good match, and we go through as group winners!! FORZA INTER!!!!
thats true i got relieved when i saw dimarco playing like his old self
now he needs to prove he has consistency
On average positions of our starting 11, Dimarco was almost as offensive as Lautaro, looking like an inside forward or raumdeuter. The formation looked more like a 3-4-3 with a diamond midfield. In many ways, this inter doesn’t look like Inzaghi’s at all!
I agree. All we need is some patience for the players to adapt to being better on the ball along with some new players that Chivu wants for his football.
Based on the interview Chivu just had he seems to be not too much into Pio. While he praised him but I felt he doesn’t like him. He also said he wanted to play the Esposito’s brothers at the same time together but he couldn’t and maybe next time he would.
monster performance. pressing and ball possesion
Ref was a disgrace. No balls, no control over the match. So many paotential injuries could be. Idiot. Told ya Sucic will be a baller, guy is attacking version of Brozovic, yet can run like him and defend. Pio this is your chance, take it. We need him to stay.
He is sharper and faster than Brozo.
brozo needed to be shape, but sucic was born with talent. remember brozo almost left inter in his early years lol
Susic has been used twice as a sub and in all occasions he contributed to a goal. So far he’s doing well. Inter midfield players under Inzaghi were more comfortable staying out of the box other than Frattesi but now it seems inter have players that will consistently go inside the box and try to create something
That’s was great to watch, can’t deny the red helped us even more but River deserved at least 3 red cards way earlier. We need to keep Pío at all cost and Carboni as well, that’s millions we saving.
I was at the game and damn the River Plate players were playing dirty and flopping all over the field. Poor sportsmanship! They deserved the red card!
Chivu needs to find a way to play Barella and Susic. He was was amazing today. He could have had 3 more assists today. 3412 might be the way to go. With him as the one.
Susic impressed me.
I thought sucic would be alongside barella with the 1 filled by fratessi or carboni..
Taught these clowns how to win with football alone. Dirty tricks backfired on them hard.
Taught these clowns how to win with football alone. Dirty tricks backfired on them hard.
Taught these clowns how to win with football alone. Dirty tricks backfired on them hard.
Taught these clowns how to win with manners and football alone. Dirty tricks backfired on them hard.
Smart from Dumfries he knows he has a lot more to lose with Inter advancing and risking a late red card. River Plate players were not interested in playing football.
Smart from Dumfries he knows he has a lot more to lose with Inter advancing and risking a late red card. River Plate players were not interested in playing football.
Urawa 0 -Monterray 4 as I had said it three times!
Finally!
mdr = lol
mdr = mort de rire
You know so little but I will try to enlighten you. Urawa had NOTHING to play for at all. Monterrey was given essentially a home game in Los Angeles to advance. Monterrey well rested before Inter match, Inter tired after massive travel, new Coach and 50 games played. Try to wrap your tiny mind around reality
Disgrace of a club river plate is with pathetic bad losers of fans. F**ck these clowns.!
Always loved Boca over these poopheads
Keep the Esposito brother as a backup striker, they good enough. Also keep Carboni, we should trust our youth player!
Why gamble on young unproven players from other clubs when we have good one from our youth system?
These dirty River fans throwing shit at Denzel? WTF
These guys trying to act tough when they were diving all game. As soon as they started losing now they wanna fight
Baha true
Great game and great way to shut up all naysayers.
I was surprised that Acuna wasn’t red carded when yelling at the ref, Chivu and others. Acuna is the Davide of this game
LOL funny as hell
Bastoni should be 3rd striker.
Beautiful game!!! Chivu has made this team enjoyable to watch
second half yes.. but first half no… chivu need to get rip the old player .. Darmian , arcerbi, must go.. n get better defender.. barella pls sit on bench… midfield should be sucic,fratesi, n carboni.. or new signing players…
I think Chivu has shown he is ready to coach Inter. These are official games, and the team has improved in each of them. With a full pre-season ahead, he has a lot of time to adapt the team to his ideas.
This ref is pathetic how is acuna not get a card
Good win. More about Pio, Susic, and Dumfries bringing individual quality and energy than it was about tactics.
Acuna has little man complex. It’s ridiculous the referee let River Plate get completely out of control.
PIO must stay at all cost
Stick it to em, Basto. Quality over thuggery
Red card tackled while finishing!
Noice!!!
Worth staying up in the end
Too easy
Basto wonder goal!