C.F. Monterrey vs Inter Milan predictions, odds and betting tips

The Sun

4 hours ago

INTER Milan will have the opportunity to put their Champions League final disappointment behind them when they face Monterrey in their opening match of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup.
Now under new management, the tournament presents the Serie A and Champions League runners-up with an immediate shot at redemption.
🔥 Monterrey vs Inter Milan betting tips
Monterrey vs Inter Milan odds
Find the latest football betting odds for Monterrey vs Inter Milan Dortmund here. Our odds are provided by our recommended football betting sites and are subject to change.
Monterrey vs Inter Milan predictions
Inter Milan begin their Club World Cup campaign in Group E, where they'll face Monterrey, River Plate, and Urawa Red Diamonds.
As favourites to top the group, the Nerazzurri are priced at 2/5 to finish first and just 1/8 to qualify for the Round of 16. Monterrey are 16/1 to top the table and 3/1 to reach the next round.
Despite coming so close to achieving the Serie A/Champions League double, there has been a change at the top in Milan.
Simone Inzaghi departed for Saudi Arabia shortly after their 5-0 humbling at the hands of PSG. Into his shoes, stepped Cristian Chivu, with the former Inter defender handed a two-year deal to be the new head coach at the San Siro.
It's not often that a team gets an immediate chance to put end-of-season heartbreak behind it, but that's exactly the opportunity that the FIFA Club World Cup has handed to Inter.
The Neraazzurri can't dwell on their double-setback for too long, though. Group E looks winnable, so Inter will want to ensure they don't blow this opportunity and inflict further embarrassment on themselves.
Their cause hasn't been helped by the departures of Joaquin Correa and Marko Arnautovic and the current situation in Iran, which is preventing back-up striker Mehdi Taremi travelling to the USA.
The Iranian international is stuck in his homeland, meaning Chivu's only viable option up front is to play Marcus Thuram alongside captain Lautaro Martinez.
Although this was always likely to be the starting pair, the shortage of backup players makes rotating a tired squad more difficult. It is also likely to make Inter's tactical set up a lot easier for their opponents to predict.
As for Monterrey, they qualified for the Club World Cup as the 2021 CONCACAF Champions League winners. Their 1-0 win over Club América gave Rayados their fifth title in eleven seasons.
The Mexicans have four-time FIFA Club World Cup winning legend Sergio Ramos within their ranks. They can also call upon the services of fellow experienced Spaniards Sergio Canales and Oliver Torres - both of whom may be familiar to fans who have followed La Liga over recent years.
Despite their experienced European players, Monterrey finished a disappointing seventh in the Clausura.
Monterrey vs Inter Milan betting tips
Both teams come into the competition on the back of disappointing ends to their respective seasons. Inter look the better outfit though, and we expect the Italians to get their Club World Cup off to a winning start. Our Monterrey vs Inter Milan match betting tips follow:
Inter Milan (-1) to win on handicap
Inter are around the 1/2 mark to win in the 90 minutes match betting market. We believe they should have too much quality for their Mexican opponents, and unless they are suffering from a Champions League hangover, they should win this match comfortably.
For the far better odds, back Inter to win on the European handicap market (also known as three-way handicap) from one goal down.
Marcus Thuram to score anytime
Marcus Thurman spent the majority of Inter's Serie A run in on the bench with Simone Inzaghe saving him for the big matches in the Champions League.
The Black and Blues were rewarded with a goal in the 3-3 draw with Barcelona in the first-leg of their semi-final. Sadly, there was no repeat in the final - but in fairness to Thuram, he hardly saw the ball against PSG.
A fixture against Monterrey will be different. And with new head coach Cristian Chivu short on striking options, Thuram is likely to get plenty of playing time.
Inter to score over 1.5 goals
Inter averaged 2.07 goals per match in Serie A in the 2024/25 season. They also scored twice in all of their final three domestic league matches of the season.
Monterrey conceded 42 times in 34 domestic league fixtures. It's not a poor record by any stretch of the imagination, but Inter are a huge step up in class from anything that the Mexicans have faced domestically.
Monterrey kept nine clean sheets across the season. They also conceded two or more on 13 occasions.
If you are feeling really bullish, Inter is 7/4 to score over 2.5 goals. We think given their recent disappointments, over 1.5 is the safer option.
📺 How to watch C.F. Monterrey vs Inter Milan
Location: Rose Bowl, Pasadena, California
Date and time: Wednesday 18th June, 2am BST.
How to watch: DAZN.
About the author
Craig Mahood
Craig Mahood is an expert in sports betting and online casinos and has worked with the company since 2020. He joined the Betting & Gaming team at The Sun in June 2022 and works closely with the leading bookmakers and online gaming companies to provide content on all areas of sports betting and gaming. He previously worked as a Digital Sports Reporter at the Scottish Sun, covering Scottish football with particular focus on Celtic and Rangers, As well as football, he has covered horse racing, boxing, darts, the Olympics and tennis for the Sun.
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