Inter Milan vs Urawa Red Diamonds prediction, H2H and probable lineups — June 21, 2025
In the second round of the FIFA Club World Cup group stage, Milan's Inter will face off against Japan's Urawa Red Diamonds. The match is set to take place in Seattle on Saturday, June 21. Kick-off is scheduled for 21:00 Central European Time. I'm offering my pick for the winner of this clash.
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Match preview
Inter did not have their best season across all competitions, though calling it a failure would be unfair. On one hand, they finished the campaign without silverware, but on the other—they reached the UEFA Champions League final, which is a major achievement in itself.
In Serie A, the team fought to defend their title until the very end, but ultimately lost out to Napoli and finished as runners-up. Simone Inzaghi decided to leave Milan and headed to the Middle East, taking charge of Al Hilal.
In his place, Cristian Chivu was appointed, who has only a couple of months of head coaching experience at Parma. Clearly, the management took a big risk, but it's far too early to judge the new boss's work.
Under the 44-year-old Romanian, Inter have played just one match so far. Despite dominating the game, they couldn't overcome Monterrey. The 1-1 result has made things even more intriguing in the group, but everything is still in the Italian side's hands.
Urawa have been going through a tough stretch recently. They haven't won the J-League since 2006, though overall, the team has achieved respectable results, especially on the international stage.
Over the last eight years, Urawa have twice claimed the AFC Champions League title and also lifted the Emperor's Cup on two occasions. However, last season in the J-League was a disappointment—they finished only 13th.
This new campaign sees Urawa looking much improved, but a title challenge is still out of reach. Maciej Skorża's men currently sit fourth, seven points off the top. The main objective for the club remains returning to the continental stage.
Their Club World Cup start was far from ideal. Against River Plate, Urawa showed flashes of quality but ultimately came away empty-handed. The 1-3 defeat was a fair result. Against Inter, the Japanese side will accept nothing but victory, but the gulf in class is undeniable.
Match facts
- Inter have won just one of their last four matches.
- Urawa have managed only one win in their previous five outings.
- Inter average 1.4 goals per game, while Urawa average 1.2.
Probable lineups
- Inter Milan: Sommer, Bastoni, Acerbi, Pavard, Darmian, Dimarco, Barella, Mkhitaryan, Zalewski, Thuram, Martinez.
- Urawa Red Diamonds: Nishikawa, Naganuma, Høibråten, Danilo, Ishihara, Gustafsson, Yasi, Kaneko, Watanabe, Savio, Matsuo.
H2H
The two teams have never met before.
Prediction
The Italian giants should have little trouble dispatching the Japanese side, especially given the disparity in quality. Any result other than a win would seriously jeopardize Inter's playoff hopes, which would be considered a disastrous failure. I expect Chivu's team to push for an early goal that will set them on course for victory. Bookmakers have little faith in Urawa—even a draw is priced at a high 7. My pick: Inter Milan to win with a -1.5 goal handicap.
