River Plate and Monterrey square off this Saturday in the second round of Group E at the FIFA Club World Cup. River comes in riding high after a 3-1 win over Urawa Reds in their opener, but not without a price, forward Sebastián Driussi, who scored in that match, twisted his left ankle and is out for the rest of the tournament.
Monterrey, meanwhile, earned a gritty 1-1 draw against Inter Milan and now have a real shot at taking control of the group, depending on the result between Inter and Urawa. With both teams eyeing early qualification, this neutral-site clash is worth far more than just three points. It's also the first time the clubs will meet in an official FIFA competition.
Borja steps in for Driussi, but questions remain
With Driussi sidelined, Miguel Borja is expected to lead the line for River. He hasn’t been in top form lately, but he’s the most straightforward option to fill the spot. The rest of the starting XI is likely to stay the same as in the first match.
Head coach Marcelo Gallardo showed respect for his opponent and played down the idea of big changes. “Monterrey is a great team in their country, with a strong squad and a prestigious coach who just arrived and will try to get his message across,” he said at a press conference.
River may already have three points in the bank, but they know another good result is key to avoid relying on the final group stage game against Inter Milan.
Monterrey riding momentum after holding Inter
Monterrey opened their campaign with a hard-earned 1-1 draw against Inter Milan, last season’s European runners-up. Sergio Ramos came up big with a goal and anchored a backline that also featured Stefan Medina and Victor Guzmán. Ricardo Chávez and Gerardo Arteaga played out wide, offering support and pushing forward when needed.
Coach Domènec Torrent is expected to stick with the same structure that got the job done against Inter. He’s not taking River lightly. “It would be a mistake to think that River will be easier than Inter Milan. It’s going to be very tough. This is a very important match because it will be decisive for both teams in the standings,” he said.
Group standings could shift dramatically
River, with three points, could punch their ticket to the next round with a win, if Inter doesn’t lose to Urawa. Monterrey, sitting on one point, still needs more to secure advancement, but beating River would put them in a strong position heading into the final group match against Urawa, which is likely their most favorable matchup.
That makes Saturday’s game more than just a group-stage battle, it could be the turning point of the tournament for either side.