Chivu: ‘Inter must be mentally strong’ in Club World Cup | OneFootball

Cristian Chivu explains why Marcus Thuram starts against Fluminense in the Club World Cup Round of 16 and reveals he warned Inter must be ‘mentally strong’ in extreme heat.

It kicks off at the Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina, at 20.00 UK time.

You can follow all the build-up and action as it happens on the Liveblog.

How to watch Inter vs. Fluminense

The best way to live stream the Club World Cup is with DAZN, which is offering a free service this summer, which can also be upgraded to a premium service.

DAZN’s free offer means ads during games, and no replays or extended highlights, but it’s still a pretty tempting deal that will surely get fans signing up quickly.

Chivu makes Inter changes

Cristian Chivu Inter press conference during 2025 FIFA Club World Cup in the United States.

The big news from the starting XI is the inclusion of Thuram, who was not 100 per cent fit so far in the tournament.

“Thuram has to give everything he’s got, because he is an important player with some good experience. I am pleased to have got to know him during this period, because he put himself at the disposal of the squad, and will start the match,” Chivu told DAZN.

The choice of playing the Club World Cup in the USA during June and July sparked controversy, as several games have been affected by either extreme heat or violent thunderstorms.

“I told the lads to be strong mentally, to accept that we must suffer, that in this heat the legs won’t move the way they’re accustomed to, and the mind will get foggy too. This is what I experienced when I played in these temperatures, and we must be mentally ready to deal with the fact that we need even more effort,” said the former Inter defender.

Fluminense qualified from the group phase after a 4-2 victory over Ulsan HD, between 0-0 draws with both Borussia Dortmund and Mamelodi Sundowns.

“They are a strong team, we analysed them, but the important thing is what we do, how we settle into the match. We must understand which moments to step up and be ready to make adjustments when necessary.”

The winners of this tie will go on to face either Manchester City or Simone Inzaghi’s Al-Hilal in the quarter-finals of the FIFA Club World Cup.