With there being a lot of unknowns regarding the 2025 Club World Cup, one of Ladbrokes' senior traders shares some valuable insights with our Group E preview.
Chris Wood, Senior Trader with Ladbrokes has provided bettors with an in-depth guide into Club World Cup Group E, allowing those who fancy a punt at this summer's tournament to make more informed picks.
FIFA Club World Cup 2025 Group E Preview & Tips
Inter Milan
Inter are obvious favourites for this group but look too short for me after an awful end to the season where they lost the Serie A title to Napoli after having it in their hands and were humiliated by PSG in the Champions League final. Simone Inzaghi decided that was enough for him and jumped ship to a hugely financially rewarding contract in Saudi Arabia and it is now up to Cristian Chivu to rejuvenate a demoralised and ageing Inter squad
Lautaro Martinez and Marcus Thuram both had decent seasons up front and will once again be the players that Inter look towards to score their goals. Hakan Calhanoglu is always a threat from long range and set pieces but will miss at least the first match. Denzel Dumfries loves to get forward from his right wing back position, scoring seven and assisting two in Serie A along with two goals and three assists in the Champions League.
Giant Yann Bisseck is an obvious threat from set pieces but is injured for at least the first game here and looks as though he will be leaving over the summer anyway so may be used sparingly. Petar Sucic and Luis Henrique have joined in time to feature here but will surely need time to gel with their new team mates. There are simply too many intangibles to consider with Inter here and I will be looking to take them on at short prices.
River Plate
River Plate currently lie in 4th place in the Argentinian Primera Liga, two points behind arch-rivals Boca in third. They have conceded a miserly nine goals in 16 matches and Marcelo Gallardo will look to stifle teams here as well. River’s most successful coach of all time has built his teams on the basis of a solid defence and this iteration is no different.
Miguel Borja is their top scorer but is often used off the bench and goals are generally spread around between him, Facundo Colidio, Franco Mastantuono and Sebastian Driussi. German Pezzella will be the obvious aerial threat from set pieces. I’d expect River to play reasonably defensively here, stay in games as long as possible and nick a winner where they can. They will be a tough nut for Inter to crack.
Monterrey
Monterrey are a bit of a wildcard here with a completely new manager in former Pep Guardiola assistant, Domenec Torrent. This obviously means no one can really be certain of how they will line up but the initial noises coming out of the camp are good after a turbulent time under former head coach, Martin Demichelis.
Sergio Ramos has returned to full fitness and will be pivotal to any challenge they make here, regardless of the fact he is now 39. He will be a major goal threat as usual from set pieces but elsewhere Monterrey will look towards Sergio Canales and German Berterame to supply the goals. Lucas Ocampo will also look to be involved but will more than likely start on the bench.
Torrent has placed the emphasis on the collective rather than individuals and they could give all three rivals difficulties here if he has managed to get his ideas across and I’d expect them to work hard with and without the ball.
Urawa Red Diamonds
Urawa Red Diamonds qualified for the Club World Cup by winning the 2022 AFC Champions League but their fortunes have faded somewhat since that success. They currently sit in third place in the J-League but are six points off Kashima Antlers in first place, could only finish in 13th place last season and haven’t come close to winning any silverware since 2022.
Maciej Skorza is currently at the helm in his second spell with the club but has not yet hit the heights he managed in his first term. The major goal threats are Ryoma Watanabe and Brazilian Thiago Santana. They will look to another Brazilian, former Flamengo man Matheus Savio to help them out and provide the chances. It’s tricky to get a handle on their chances given the lack of household names and the limited amount of comparable form but they look like the outsiders of the group and I would expect Monterrey and River Plate to be greater threats to Inter here.
Group Overview
It is impossible to fancy Inter given their recent tribulations and I feel as though they have to be taken on at the current prices. River Plate will be a stern test and Monterrey are definite dark horses here so I would be looking to oppose Inter with them both here. Urawa Red Diamonds are more of an unknown and I will be keeping a watching brief there until after their first game against River Plate.
As noted, there are a lot of questions surrounding this summer's tournaments, some fans still wondering why Liverpool aren't in the tournament but Chelsea are, for example.
So, now you have all the information to ensure you don't miss a single match at this year's Club World Cup - and with our detailed tournament preview and betting guide, you won't miss a tip either.
Where is the 2025 Club World Cup taking place?
The 2025 Club World Cup will be held in the United States from June 15 to July 13, marking the first time the expanded tournament will feature 32 clubs in a month-long format.
How can I watch the Club World Cup?
Every single match at the Club World Cup will be broadcast on DAZN, with viewers able to watch games on their platform free-to-air.
Can I bet on the Club World Cup?
Ladbrokes is giving customers the opportunity to bet on a number of markets for the Club World Cup, including who they think will win the tournament - with Real Madrid the current favourites.
