Inter-Fluminense: Thuram returns, Pio Esposito in doubt. Probable formations and TV times

Charlotte, June 29, 2025 – It would be really funny for Inter to meet Al Hilal, led by former player Simone Inzaghi , in the quarterfinals. Difficult, almost impossible, but who knows… Christian Chivu 's Nerazzurri will face the Brazilians of Fluminense in the round of 16, while the Arabs will face Guardiola 's battleship Manchester City , fresh from five goals scored against Juve . At Inter, obviously, maximum concentration is on the match on Monday evening at 9 pm in Charlotte against the champion team of the Libertadores 2022. A non-trivial match, not to be underestimated, even if Flu came second in Group F behind Borussia Dortmund, while Inter prevailed in Group E over Monterrey (River Plate was eliminated). For coach Chivu, Pio Esposito 's absence is almost certain, for him only fatigue but he will not be among the starters, while Marcus Thuram returns.

Probable lineups

As mentioned, Pio Esposito will almost certainly be out for Christian Chivu, but the good news is the definitive return of Marcus Thuram from the muscle fatigue of the last few days. The coach will confirm the 3-5-2 with De Vrij, Acerbi and Bastoni in defense, Dimarco and Dumfries on the wings, Asllani still in the middle (Calhanoglu is in the midst of market rumors of a return to Galatasaray), with Barella and Mkhitaryan on the sides. Up front, Thu-La will be recomposed. Fluminense should play with 4-3-3 and Xavier, Thiago Silva, Freytes and Rene in front of goalkeeper Fabio, in midfield Martinelli as the central pivot with Nonato and Hercules in support, while up front the talented Arias in the trident with Everaldo and Canobbio. INTER (3-5-2): Sommer; De Vrij, Acerbi, Bastoni; Dumfries, Barella, Asllani, Mkhitaryan, Dimarco; Lautaro Martinez, Thuram. Coach Chivu FLUMINENSE (4-3-3): Fabio, Samuel Xavier, Thiago Silva, Freytes, Rene; Hercules, Martinelli, Nonato; Arias, Everaldo, Canobbio. Coach Renato Gaucho

Only one precedent

There are no official precedents between Inter and Fluminese , but in the sixties a friendly match was played between the two teams at San Siro. The Brazilians were on tour in Italy and on the Inter side around 50 thousand people crowded at San Siro to admire the new signing Luis Suarez who was brought from Barcelona. For the record, the match ended 1-1 with goals for the guests by Waldo and for the Nerazzurri by Bicicli. In general, there have been no precedents between Italian and Brazilian teams either in this format of the competition or in previous ones. The last official meeting dates back to 1993 when in the Intercontinental Cup San Paolo won 3-2 against Milan. As for Inter, there is a precedent in the Intercontinental Super Cup in June 1969 with a 1-0 defeat against Santos.

The words of Sebastiano Esposito

Only a muscle strain for Pio Esposito , no injuries, but the presence of the young striker remains in doubt and Chivu will decide at the last moment. The good news is the return of Marcus Thuram, who will recompose the Thu-La with Lautaro Martinez. In the Charlotte retreat, the brother of the young Inter striker, Sebastiano Esposito, spoke. First obstacle, the heat: "It was cooler in Seattle, but we have to get used to it and not think about it - the words of Esposito - We have to stay focused on the game and put in a good performance. For us it is a very important match and we want to advance to the next round. It is always a world competition".

For Seba Esposito, a clinic with two great strikers like Lautaro and Thuram, for a bright future and, who knows, in black and blue: “There are great champions here and it’s a dream to be with them and wear this shirt. It’s a great honor for both me and my brother. Future? I’m thinking about doing well here, we’ll see what happens later”. New signing Luis Henrique also spoke from the Inter retreat, warning: Fluminense is a strong team. The latest arrival said: “It’s an important match and we’re facing a strong, quality team, we’ll need a great match and a lot of concentration”. The Brazilian winger, after a soft start, is regaining his physical condition. The reason is easy to say: before the World Cup he went on vacation. “I played the last match against Marseille and then I had a vacation, I’m a bit behind my teammates but I’ve felt better in recent training. I’m ready”, was his response. And then there is the emotion of wearing the Inter shirt: “I am very happy, I have realised my dream of playing in a very important club and I hope to do very well for these colours”.

Calhanoglu's delicate situation

At Inter, however, there is the difficult issue of Hakan Calhanoglu to deal with. The Turkish midfielder is receiving concrete interest from Galatasaray , but he has not asked to be sold to Inter even though he flew to Istanbul in recent days, where he has apparently hinted at his hope of returning to his homeland. But Inter does not want to let him go free at a bargain price and Galatasaray certainly has no intention of making an irrefutable offer for his contract: there is a risk of stalemate. Chivu needs the issue to be resolved quickly, possibly to have a replacement and prepare for the new season (excluding the World Cup where Asllani is playing). In short, the situation risks becoming extremely delicate.

Where to watch it on TV

The match between Fluminense and Inter , valid for the round of 16 of the Club World Cup, will be played on Monday 30 June at 9 pm in Charlotte with double live TV coverage. Live on Dazn with commentary by Riccardo Mancini, live on free-to-air Canale 5, streaming on Mediaset Infinity, with commentary by Riccardo Trevisani and Simone Tiribocchi.