River Plate will attempt to book their place in the FIFA Club World Cup knockout stages when they face Monterrey on Saturday at the Rose Bowl.
The Argentinian side can secure advancement with a victory ahead of a match with Inter Milan, and doing so here would allow them to rest and protect against yellow card suspensions. Monterrey drew 1-1 with the Italian giants, but know that getting a point here could prove vital to setting themselves up to advance.
My River Plate vs. Monterrey predictions and FIFA Club World Cup free picks expect both teams to find the net on Saturday, June 21.
River Plate vs Monterrey picks and predictions
My River Plate vs Monterrey best bet: Both teams to score — Yes (-125 at bet365)
Monterrey were fortunate not to lose against Inter Milan. They conceded just one goal, but conceded an xG of 2.68 on the day. In fact, two missed efforts in the first half by Sebastiano Esposito accounted for more than 0.75 of that mark.
The match was indicative of their inability to keep other teams off the scoresheet. In their last 18 matches, they’ve enjoyed just three clean sheets.
One of those came against a Pumas side that won just once in their last eight matches, while another came in a 2-0 win over Leon, who ended the season with four straight defeats and seven defeats in their last nine matches. The other came against America, whose final 13 matches saw them score just 11 goals. However, five of those came in one outing.
Still, that’s better than what River Plate has achieved at the defensive end of the pitch. While the Argentine side has gone unbeaten in regulation over their last 19 matches, they’ve managed just one clean sheet in their last nine matches. At the other end, River Plate have been held scoreless just once in their last 15 outings.
Both teams have scored in 14 of Monterrey’s last 18 matches, while nine of River Plate’s last 11 matches have seen goals scored for each side. And the situation for both teams lends itself to us seeing the teams going for wins for different reasons.
River Plate still has to play Inter Milan, and while a draw here puts them in a solid position to advance, they could easily be left out should they lose that match and Monterrey finds a win against Urawa.
On the flip side, Monterrey would want to go into the final match with more than just one or two points. Urawa is not a pushover, and even if they’re eliminated, they’d have a $2M reason to go for victory in the final match. And with River Plate potentially missing key players, the win could be there for the taking.
Neither of these teams is doing well at preventing goals over 90 minutes, and once one scores, the other is certainly going to look to equalize. The juice is worth the squeeze here to back both teams to score, with bet365 being the only place offering it below -130.
River Plate vs Monterrey same-game parlay (SGP)
Both teams to score — Yes
Franco Mastantuono to score or assist
River Plate moneyline
With Sebastian Driussi doubtful to start, look for Franco Mastantuono to step up. The new Real Madrid signee has either scored or assisted in seven of his last 10 matches for the club, and the teenager is the kind of player who can create his own shot or generate chances for teammates.
While Driussi and Enzo Perez will be missed, River Plate still has plenty of weapons at its disposal. The side pressures in the midfield with a high level of aggression, something Monterrey struggled with against Inter Milan, and they have the better scoring options in attack.
River Plate vs Monterrey odds
| River Plate | Monterrey | |
|---|---|---|
| +105 | Moneyline | +240 |
| +250 | Draw | +250 |
| Over 2.5 (-106) | Total | Under 2.5 (-118) |
Odds courtesy of bet365
How to watch River Plate vs Monterrey
| Location | Rose Bowl, Pasadena, CA |
| Date | Saturday, 6-21-2025 |
| Time | 9:00 p.m. ET |
| TV | DAZN |
| Weather | 75F, wind 8-21 mph, 0% PoP. |
River Plate vs Monterrey key injuries
River Plate: Sebastian Driussi F (Doubtful), Enzo Perez M (Doubtful), Agustin Ruberto F (Out).
Monterrey: Carlos Salcedo D (Out).
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
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