River Plate vs Monterrey: Club World Cup Match Preview, Odds & Predictions

On Sunday (BST), the top team in Group E, River Plate, will play Monterrey in the Rose Bowl in California. The winner of the match will advance to the next round of the FIFA Club World Cup.

Monterrey took pride in their opening-round tie with European powerhouse Inter Milan, while the Argentine heavyweights got off to a winning start by sweeping Urawa Red Diamonds.

Previous Matches and Head-to-head

River Plate started their 2025 campaign in the third Club World Cup on Tuesday, defeating Urawa Red Diamonds 3-1 in Washington. They managed to earn a vital three points despite some initial nervousness. Sebastian Driussi and Facundo Colidio both scored headers before halftime. Yusuke Matsuo restored the lead for the J1 League team just before the hour mark with a penalty kick.

However, River's goal from substitute Maximiliano Meza, who headed in a corner, sealed the victory in the 73rd minute. Despite acknowledging that his team had "some nerves" in their opening match, head coach Marcelo Gallardo was pleased with their performance. He praised the win as "important" and emphasised the need for further development. Despite Opta's supercomputer giving them only an 11% chance of winning before the competition began, River jumped out to a two-point lead in Group E after Monterrey held Inter to a draw.

A win on Sunday would be the icing on the cake to move on to the next round. Monterrey displayed excellent poise in Wednesday's 1-1 draw at the Rose Bowl against Group E favourites Inter Milan, even though he was given a 7% chance of moving on before the match. Real Madrid's four-time Club World Cup champion, veteran defender Sergio Ramos, gave the Mexican team the lead just before the half with a spectacular header.

Even though Lautaro Martinez of Inter equalized shortly before halftime, Rayados persevered in the second half to earn a vital point. Former Guardiola assistant Domènec Torrent hailed the competition as a "great opportunity" to showcase Monterrey and pit him against elite teams in his first game as coach following the departure of Fernando Ortiz. In their sixth Club World Cup, Monterrey, who share second place in Group E, will try to avoid losing to River Plate to maintain their chances of qualifying. A win on Sunday would put them in a strong position to advance, but they still have a potentially decisive match against Urawa coming up. Although Monterrey has faced River Plate twice in friendly games, they have never won. They suffered a 1-0 loss in January 2023. They drew 1-1 in 2024.

River Plate x Monterrey Team News

River Plate striker Sebastiaan Driussi left the pitch in discomfort after scoring in the first match after colliding with Urawa Red Diamonds goalie Shusaku Nishikawa.  A late fitness test awaits Driussi. In that match, 39-year-old midfielder Enzo Pérez was pulled at halfway due to muscle strain and is doubtful for Sunday's match. 

Meanwhile, 18-year-old striker Agustín Ruberto is currently out due to a chronic knee injury. Miguel Borja will likely start in goal in Driussi's absence, establishing an attacking three with Facundo Colidio and recent Real Madrid acquisition Franco Mastantuono, 17. If Pérez doesn't return in time, Manuel Lanzini or Giuliano Galoppo may start in midfield.

After tearing his anterior cruciate ligament, Carlos Salcedo will miss the tournament. Manager Domènec Torrent may start Sergio Ramos, Stefan Medina, and Victor Guzman in the back three, with Gerardo Arteaga and Ricardo Chavez as wing-backs, as he did in the draw with Inter. Sergio Canales (Spain national team) and Oliver Torres (Porto), who played in central midfield, should hold their starting places. In contrast, Lucas Ocampos and German Berterame, who are playing against their home nations, will again lead the attack.

Our Predictions

River Plate to win @ 2.15 on Sky247.ng

In California, we can anticipate a heated matchup between two teams that are both considered favourites to win the match. Even though both teams are sure to score, River Plate could have the advantage over their Mexican opponents that night.

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