Brazilian side Fluminense will look to join their compatriots Palmeiras in the Quarterfinals of the FIFA Club World Cup as they lock horns against European and Italian powerhouses Inter Milan in what could be a potentially mouth-watering Round of 16 contest.
Here’s our Preview and Prediction for the Round of 16 match between Inter Milan and Fluminense at the FIFA Club World Cup 2025
FIFA Club World Cup 2025 | Round of 16: Inter Milan vs Fluminense | 00:30 AM IST, July 1st
Inter Milan had an underwhelming start to the tournament but slowly and steadily picked up speed and momentum, emerging as a sleeper contender to win the tournament as they reached the knockout stages of the tournament.
They were rather slow and sloppy against Monterrey in their opening game, with a 1-1 draw probably considered a fair result given they went behind in the game and did not really create anything of note in the game before and after the equaliser.
They had a much better game against Urawa Red Diamonds, even though they required a late winner from Valentin Carboni to register a come-from-behind 2-1 victory after falling behind once again as early as the 11th minute in the contest. But this time they were much more cohesive and constant in their attacking output, and as the result suggests, the attacking pressure told off eventually.
They completed their adaptation and put in their best performance of the tournament against River Plate in what was a very hot-tempered contest. They ended up 2-0 winners in the contest, but the focal point was arguably the constant simmering tempers between Inter and River full-backs Denzel Dumfries and Marcos Acuña, so much that both had to be held back as they were running towards the dugout after the game to settle things the old-fashioned way.
As far as their opponents are concerned, Fluminense were quiet performers as all the spotlight went to their fellow Brazilian clubs, but that did not deter them from getting results as they used all their rugged experience and nous to reach the Round of 16.
Against Dortmund, it was their famous defensive veterans that stole the show with what was a defensive masterclass for the ages as they held their opponents’ young and exciting attack to no goals in a goalless draw that would have been a victory for Fluminense had their attackers taken their chances.
They put in a complete performance against Ulsan HD, although there were slight jitters in that game as they found themselves 2-1 down at half-time before eventually finding their swagger as they emerged 4-2 victors in that game.
It was a battle of grit and attrition against South African side Mamelodi Sundowns as it was another goalless draw for Fluminense, but that ensured their qualification to the next stage.
This game pits two defensively strong sides against each other, with Fluminense keeping 2 clean sheets in their 3 games while Inter also have conceded the same amount of goals as their opponents, while also scoring a goal more than them.
It will all come down to which defense holds firm in the face of adversity as it is all but certain that this will be more of a tactical and physical battle between two well-drilled and well-rounded sides.
We expect Inter Milan to emerge victorious in this fixture, but probably in the penalty series.
Score Prediction: Inter Milan 1-1 Fluminense (Inter win on penalties)
Venue: Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, North Carolina.
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