Inter Milan Faces River Plate in Key Champions League Clash
Inter Milan, the beaten finalists of the Champions League, aim to top Group E when they take on River Plate at Lumen Field on Wednesday.
Inter arrives fresh from a 2-1 victory against Urawa Red Diamonds, while River Plate settled for a goalless draw against Monterrey in their last match.
Match Preview
After enduring a crushing 5-0 defeat against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League final, Inter Milan has started a new chapter under head coach Cristian Chivu, following the exit of Simone Inzaghi. Chivu’s debut was marked by a 1-1 draw against Monterrey in the Club World Cup, but he quickly bounced back with a dramatic comeback against Urawa, where Lautaro Martinez and Valentin Carboni secured a 2-1 win.
River Plate is in a similar position, leading the group thanks to a slightly better goal difference. Under Marcelo Gallardo, they won their opening match against Urawa before being held scoreless against Monterrey despite 18 shots on goal.
Team News
Inter is grappling with significant injury concerns, with Denzel Dumfries, Hakan Calhanoglu, Marcus Thuram, Davide Frattesi, Yann Bisseck, Benjamin Pavard, and Piotr Zielinski all sidelined.
River Plate also faces challenges as three players—Kevin Castano, Enzo Perez, and Giuliano Galoppo—are suspended due to incidents in previous matches.
Predicted Line-ups
- Inter Milan: Sommer; De Vrij, Acerbi, Bastoni; Dumfries, Barella, Calhanoglu, Mkhitaryan, Dimarco; Esposito, Martinez
- River Plate: Armani; Montiel, Martinez Quarta, Diaz; Acuna; Fernandez, Kranevitter, Aliendro; Mastantuono, Colidio, Meza
Match Prediction
While Inter has not been entirely convincing during the tournament, they find themselves evenly matched against a River Plate team missing key players. A draw is anticipated for this encounter.
Prediction: Inter Milan 1-1 River Plate