The moment has finally arrived for Monterrey to debut in the <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/tag/club-world-cup/">2025 FIFA Club World Cup</a>. The Liga MX side faces a major challenge in their first match, taking on one of the most competitive teams in Europe—Inter Milan. While the Italian giants are clear favorites on paper, veteran defender <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/tag/sergio-ramos/">Sergio Ramos</a> sees this as a golden opportunity to show the world what Monterrey is made of.



Inter has been in top form over the past few months, but their head coach Cristian Chivu admitted he doesn’t know much about his first opponent. While some might interpret that as dismissive, others see it as a chance for Rayados to take the element of surprise.



“With all due respect, we have little information on them,” Chivu said. “From what I’ve seen, they’re an aggressive, vertical team that enjoys keeping possession and has a lot of individual quality.”



<h2>Ramos confident in Rayados’ ability to compete</h2>



Sergio Ramos, who captains the Mexican side, took note of Chivu’s comments and believes they could work in <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/tag/monterrey/">Monterrey</a>’s favor.



“Maybe they know four or five names on our squad, and that can actually be an advantage,” Ramos said. “The less they know about us, the better. Tomorrow, they’ll get to see the level of some of our players—guys with incredible talent who may not be well known yet.”



With four Club World Cup titles to his name from his time at Real Madrid, Ramos is no stranger to international tournaments. Now, his mission is to help Monterrey surpass their previous best performance in the competition.



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“We came here to go toe-to-toe with any team. At this level, it’s about the small details and mentality. We’re ready to play fearless soccer against anyone.”



<h2>Ramos: Liga MX has talent but needs growth</h2>



The Spanish center back also addressed the broader perception of Mexican football, expressing belief in its potential while acknowledging there’s work to be done.



“Mexican soccer has tons of talent, no doubt about it. But there’s still room for improvement in areas like mindset, training habits, and professionalism. These things need to be fine-tuned for the league to truly become elite.”



<h2>Hoping to avoid Real Madrid?</h2>



When asked about his former club, Ramos didn’t hide his admiration.



“This tournament has some of the best teams in the world, and Real Madrid is always a favorite—especially now with Xabi Alonso in charge. He knows the club inside out and has won it all.”

FIFA Club World Cup: Sergio Ramos sends a strong 5-word message to Inter Milan’s coach

FIFA Club World Cup: Sergio Ramos sends a strong 5-word message to Inter Milan's coach - World Soccer Talk

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<a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/tag/inter/">Inter Milan</a> found themselves without a head coach just weeks before the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, following Simone Inzaghi’s surprising decision to join Saudi side Al Hilal. After being turned down by Como manager <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/tag/cesc-fabregas">Cesc Fabregas</a>, the Italian giants acted swiftly to secure Inzaghi’s replacement.



Inzaghi’s departure came immediately after the UEFA Champions League final, leaving Inter with little time to prepare for the high-stakes tournament. Fabregas, seen as a top candidate due to his impressive work at Como, was quickly ruled out when the club’s president and the former midfielder both rejected Inter’s approach.



“We have communicated our refusal directly to the president of Inter, who has recognized it with the courtesy and clarity that is expected among clubs that have mutual respect. For this reason, we treat rumors insistent on their interest in our coach as pure fantasy — hardly anyone would insist after such a clear answer. Especially a club of the calibre of Inter,” Como president Mirwan Suwarso stated.



<h2>Chivu takes over as Inter head coach</h2>



With Fabregas out of the picture, Inter named <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/tag/chivu/">Cristian Chivu</a> as their new head coach on a contract running through 2027. The former Romanian international arrives after a brief stint at Parma, where he managed 13 matches after joining in February 2025.



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Chivu is well-known among Inter supporters, remembered for wearing a protective headgear following a serious cranial injury. He spent seven years at the club from 2007 to 2014, winning nine major trophies, including the 2009–10 UEFA Champions League and three Serie A titles.


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The Romanian began his coaching career within Inter’s youth academy, starting with the U-16 team in 2018. He climbed the ranks to lead the U-19 side from 2021 to 2024, overseeing 112 matches before accepting the Parma job.



According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Fabregas was Inter’s top choice, but his rejection forced the club to explore alternative options. With Roberto De Zerbi unavailable and Genoa’s Patrick Vieira also considered, Inter ultimately opted for Chivu. His tactical alignment — favoring the same 3-5-2 formation used by Inzaghi — made for a seamless transition.



While Chivu lacks the top-tier coaching experience Inter initially sought, his deep understanding of the club’s culture and system made him a logical choice. With the <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/tag/club-world-cup/">Club World Cup</a> just around the corner, familiarity may prove more valuable than pedigree as Inter look to compete on the global stage.

Inter Milan sign Inzaghi’s replacement for 2025 FIFA Club World Cup after being snubbed by Cesc Fabregas

Inter Milan sign Inzaghi's replacement for 2025 FIFA Club World Cup after being snubbed by Cesc Fabregas - World Soccer Talk

While this was a mere friendly and many of the starters from both teams were not on hand, the manner with which Inter overcame Manchester City serves as a warning for those aiming to dethrone the Serie A champions and Champions League winners.
The Nerazzurri were missing the likes of Diego Milito, Lucio and Wesley Sneijder but still managed to put a solid display with some silk passing and neat moves. In midfield, Esteban Cambiasso was as productive as ever with his passing and disrupting of opponents while captain Javier Zanetti was as usual reliable at the back and a useful player going forward.
Inter dominated the match and were in control of possession even before the sending off of Patrick Vieira who was in all fairness unlucky to see red. The former Juventus and Inter midfielder deserved a yellow card in the worst case scenario. The 3-0 final score can be considering a flattering one for Manchester City since the game could have easily finished with a bigger win for the Nerazzurri.
Inter will be a force to contend with in the Champions League and appear to be confident about their chances of repeating as European champions. As for Serie A, it will be hard to see any club, including Roma, Milan and Juventus, challenge the Nerazzurri for the title. Roma do not have a big squad and there is a major drop off in level between the starting XI and the bench players while Milan rely on too many of the senior players who are edging closer to retirement such as Clarence Seedorf, Andrea Pirlo, Alessandro Nesta and Massimo Ambrosini. The Rossoneri will only have one youngster featuring regularly in their starting lineup and that is Brazilian striker Alexandre Pato. As for Juventus, they are still in the process of recovering from a dismal season and it will be hard to see them challenge for the title unless all pieces of the puzzle fell in the right place for the Bianconeri.
Inter’s victory against the Citizens showed that the Nerazzurri have a big squad and a deep bench which can be relied upon when there are injuries and suspensions. In fact, the Nerazzurri will probably have to trim their squad in order to save on some of the big salaries paid to fringe players and reserve players. Having a big squad has another disadvantage which is growing discontent amongst those not getting enough playing time. Such players might begin to cause undesired distractions and might hurt harmony within the squad.
Two factors will shape the Nerazzurri starting XI as well as the quality on the bench and these are related to the future of Maicon and Mario Balotelli. If both players remain with the club then Inter’s bench will be even stronger, but if they leave then the bench will be a weakened a bit since Balotelli will be gone while a full-back will have to start in Maicon’s place on the right flank. Even if the duo will depart, Inter will remain top contenders to sweep the trophies in their path and repeat as treble winners. Only Barcelona and Real Madrid with their talented roster can dethrone Inter as European champions as the elite English Premier League sides are perhaps a step below the Italian giants and the two Spanish clubs.
Inter’s starting XI will likely be (provided Maicon &amp; Balotelli stay): Julio Cesar, Maicon, Lucio, W. Samuel, Chivu, Cambiasso, J. Zanetti, Sneijder, Eto’o, D. Milito and Pandev.
It will be interesting to see if Davide Santon and Mario Balotelli can establish themselves as regulars under new coach Rafael Benitez. The upcoming season certainly looks promising for the Nerazzurri and their supporters.&nbsp;&nbsp;Feel free to comment below or simply contact me on Twitter&nbsp; @RamiSoufi for further discussion. I am including below two pieces written&nbsp;following the end of&nbsp;last season which&nbsp;pertain to Inter:
<a href="http:\/\/www.serieatalk.com/diego-milito-inters-hero-as-nerazzurri-complete-historic-treble/2432">www.serieatalk.com/diego-milito-inters-hero-as-nerazzurri-complete-historic-treble/2432</a>
<a href="http:\/\/www.championsleaguetalk.com/what-next-for-inter-after-winning-the-champions-league/748">www.championsleaguetalk.com/what-next-for-inter-after-winning-the-champions-league/748</a>
<a href="http:\/\/polldaddy.com/poll/3558782/">Will Inter Win Titles Next Season?</a><a href="http:\/\/polldaddy.com/features-surveys/">customer surveys</a>

Inter Dismantle Manchester City 3-0 in Baltimore - World Soccer Talk

Inter Dismantle Manchester City 3-0 in Baltimore

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FIFA Club World Cup: Sergio Ramos sends a strong 5-word message to Inter Milan’s coach

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Inter Dismantle Manchester City 3-0 in Baltimore