The World Cup ofInter it ends here. The Nerazzurri leave the scene losing 2-0 with the Fluminense and put an end to their very long and paradoxical season, in which they fought for all the objectives without achieving even one. The defeat in Charlotte also leaves some after-effects, at least according to the words of captain Lautaro (we'll talk about it shortly), demonstrating a negative climate, weighed down by defeat after defeat. Tonight it will be the turn of Juventus, forced into the enterprise against the Real Madrid (21pm) to avoid ending up like Inter and continue to dream of the Club World Cup.
Inter – Fluminense 0-2: Nerazzurri eliminated by goals from Cano and Hercules
At Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, Inter started with the ball, but it was Fluminense who immediately took control. After just 40 seconds, Sommer missed a clearance under pressure from Cano and immediately sent shivers down the spines of the Nerazzurri bench. It was just the beginning of a complicated evening for Chivu's men. The Brazilians attacked Inter from the first minutes and found the lead in the 3rd minute: Arias won a duel with De Vrij on the right, reached the byline and crossed into the area. The ball, deflected by Bastoni, rose and landed precisely on Cano's head, forgotten by the Nerazzurri defense. The pace of the match was slowed down by the oppressive heat and the terrible conditions of the pitch, factors that affected quality and intensity. At the half-hour mark, Fluminense came close to scoring again: Arias tried from distance, Sommer parried it short and Xavier narrowly missed doubling the lead. Shortly after, a splendid move by the Brazilians leads to Ignacio's goal on an aerial pass, but the goal is disallowed for offside. In the second half, the score doesn't change: Inter keeps the ball, but possession is sterile. Fluminense, on the other hand, continues to create the best chances. In the 62nd minute, Arias comes close to scoring with a splendid curling shot, neutralized by a great intervention by Sommer. In the 68th minute, the first real Nerazzurri chance arrives: Esposito, who has just come on, finds Lautaro at the far post, who passes it to De Vrij. The Dutch defender, however, shoots wide from two steps away. Shortly after, Dimarco comes close to equalizing with a dangerous free kick, while Fabio, at 44 years old, responds present to a weak left-footed shot by Lautaro. The Argentine shakes up at the end: first he tests Fabio on an invitation from Esposito, then hits the post. It's Inter's last blaze, because in injury time Hercules closes the deal with a long-range shot that beats Sommer and brings down the curtain on the Nerazzurri's season. In the final stages there's still time for Dimarco to hit the crossbar, but it's just a detail: Fluminense deservedly goes ahead, while Inter closes its very long season with 63 games under its belt and no title in its trophy cabinet.
Lautaro furious: "I saw things I didn't like, whoever doesn't want to stay should leave"
“The message must be clear: those who want to stay must stay, those who don’t want to stay must go – Lautaro’s very heavy comment -. I want to fight for important objectives, this is an important shirt and this must be the message. To stay at the top and bring trophies we must have desire. In the first half we were not in the game, conceding a goal and making mistakes in passes, supports and many choices. They, scoring in the first minutes, defended well low, looking for the counterattack. In the second half we were better, then we conceded the 2-0 but we left everything on the pitch. It was hot and the pitch was dry, for both teams. However, we arrived with a bit of mental tiredness and players who were missing. I apologize to the fans and to all the people who came here to be with us, now let’s rest to start again in the best way for next season. Here you have to want to stay, we are fighting for objectives: those who don’t want to stay, must go. I saw many things that I didn’t like: as captain, I want to fight for objectives and we are an important team. We won and I want to continue like this: whoever wants to stay, can stay, while whoever doesn't want to stay, goodbye".
Real Madrid – Juventus (21pm, Canale 5 and Dazn)
After the painless defeat against Manchester City, Juventus is preparing to experience the first real crossroads of the tournament against Real Madrid. A challenge with a very high specific weight, not only for the prestige of the opponent, but also for the significance it can take on in the path of the new Lady branded Tudor. Against Guardiola, the Croatian coach chose to manage his energy, leaving several starters on the bench, including Kenan Yildiz. The result was a 5-2 that could have left some residue, although without compromising the path: the pass to the eighth finals, in fact, was already in the bag well before losing in Orlando. Now, however, the margin of error is zero and Tudor will return to rely on his key men. In particular Yildiz, the brightest face of the Bianconeri expedition to the USA, author of three goals in the first two games. The module will not change, but the tone, hopefully, will: a different Juventus will be needed, more ferocious and lucid, capable of withstanding the technical and mental impact against a battleship like Real. The Croatian coach has also worked hard on the psychological aspect in recent days. After the defeat against City, he was the first to want to get the group back on its feet, transmitting serenity but also hunger. Xabi Alonso's Real Madrid is a profoundly different team from the one led until a few months ago by Carlo Ancelotti and this can also represent an advantage for Juventus, given that the "running in", for obvious reasons, is still in its infancy. Among the main changes is the switch to a three-man defense, with a surprising move: Tchouameni, usually employed in midfield, has been moved back to the center of the defense. The mezzali are two pure talents like Arda Guler and Jude Bellingham, called to interpret the role in a modern way, combining quality and dynamism. Real prefers ball possession and builds the game by exploiting the so-called "lateral chains": on the right the engine is Alexander-Arnold, on the left Fran Garcia, often flanked by Guler. Up front, the weight of the attack is entrusted to Vinicius and Mbappé, two champions capable of shuffling the cards at any moment.
Real Madrid – Juventus, probable formations
Real Madrid (3-5-2): Courtois; Rudiger, Tchouameni, Huijsen; Alexander-Arnold, Bellingham, Valverde, Guler, Fran Garcia; Vinicius Junior, Mbappe
Coach: Xabi Alonso
Juventus (3-4-2-1): Di Gregorio; Kalulu, Rugani, Kelly; Alberto Costa, Thuram, Locatelli, Cambiaso; Conceicao, Yildiz; Kolo Muani
Coach: Tudor
