We’re halfway through the first round. Groups E and F kick start their campaign tonight, and there are a few great value picks for the upcoming matches.
The top teams of each group are undoubtedly the European and South American clubs: Inter & River Plate, and Borussia Dortmund & Fluminense.
They are pretty good picks to qualify, given the lack of quality in the other four clubs. There’s still betting potential for all teams, so here’s our top value pick for the groups.
Group E Value Picks
The group E matches this round are River Plate vs Urawa Red Diamonds and Inter Milan vs Monterrey.
Everyone knows what happened to Inter at the end of the season. They’ll want to shake that off and prove themselves once again here. They’re currently sixth favourites with odds of 16/1 with bet365, if you have the bottle for that bet.
Although Monterrey will enjoy huge support thanks to the massive Mexican population in the US. This might feel like an away day for Inter rather than a neutral venue.
The South Americans have a fire in their belly for the Club World Cup, having viewed it as the most prestigious club competition since the early 2000s. That means they’ll be aiming to kill anything in their way.
Here are our top picks from either match with bet365:
| Match | Market | Odds |
|---|---|---|
| River Plate vs Urawa Red Diamonds and Inter Milan vs Monterrey | Double: River Plate & Inter Milan to Win | 137/100 |
| River Plate vs Urawa Red Diamonds | Over 2.5 Goals | 17/20 |
| River Plate vs Urawa Red Diamonds | River Plate: Under 2.5 Cards | 57/100 |
| Inter Milan vs Monterrey | Lautaro Martinez to Score | 1/1 |
| Inter Milan vs Monterrey | BTTS: Yes | 3/4 |
Bet 1: The obvious choice is to bet on both Inter and River Plate to win their games. A double here is great value at 2.37 for two very likely outcomes. Of course, you can place all our legs in a single bet, but that would be a lot riskier.
Bet 2: River Plate are heavy favourites, and in their last nine games, seven had over 2.5 goals scored, six of which they won. Urawa Reds have endured mixed form with 3 wins, 3 draws, and 2 losses in their last 8 matches. Half of those also have over 2.5 goals scored.
Bet 3: River Plate have been well behaved in their last 5 matches, receiving just 6 cards. They didn’t receive any in their last 2 wins, and we expect an easy match without River needing to make any rash tackles or fouls.
Bet 4: Lautaro Martinez is in pretty good form and is Inter’s top scorer across all competitions. As a South American, he would have grown up dreaming of the Club World Cup, so he’ll be even more motivated than the rest of the players up front.
Bet 5: Monterrey will be one of the best-supported clubs in the tournament. That could give them an added boost to score against the Italian side, who have been struggling with a leaky defence as of late.
Group F Value Picks
The group F matches are Fluminense vs Borussia Dortmund and Ulsan Hyundai vs Mamelodi Sundowns
Both matches will be great watches for vastly different reasons. The first match will basically determine who will top the group. We’re backing BVB to do that.
The second match features a couple of international minnows that you’d never likely see again. Still definitely worth a punt on though.
Here are our top picks for tonight's match on bet365:
| Match | Market | Odds |
|---|---|---|
| Fluminense vs Borussia Dortmund | Serhou Guirassy to Score or Assist (Super Boost) | 6/5 |
| Fluminense vs Borussia Dortmund | Full Time Result: Borussia Dortmund | 17/25 |
| Fluminense vs Borussia Dortmund | Over 9.5 Corners | 18/25 |
| Ulsan Hyundai vs Mamelodi Sundowns | Full Time Result: Mamelodi Sundowns | 9/10 |
| Ulsan Hyundai vs Mamelodi Sundowns | Over 3.5 cards | 4/5 |
Bet 1: The value writes itself. The bet365 Super Boost turned an already decent market into a certified banger. The two-time Bundesliga Team of the Season inductee could set this tournament ablaze, and is 7th favourite to win the Golden Boot, priced at 20/1 on bet365.
Bet 2: Dortmund are just too strong for a Fluminense side who barely made it to the Copa Sudamericana last season. BVB are also favourites to top the group, priced at 1.5, a win will all but secure that too.
Bet 3: Last season, Borussia Dortmund averaged 5.6 corners per game (3rd Most in Bundesliga), while Fluminense averaged 4.7 per game. Simple addition will tell you that over 9.5 corners is reachable, and Dortmund will get even more since they will likely dominate.
Bet 4: Mamelodi Sundowns, out of South Africa, are the favourites to win this match. They are a top side and only lost the latest CAF Champions League final 3-2 on aggregate. They are a solid side and will be too much for the South Korean outfit.
Bet 5: Ulsan Hyundai are no strangers to a card, in 2024 they received 61 cards, the fourth highest in the K-League, and so far this season they’re 3rd with 37 cards. The Sundowns aren’t as viscous, but this could be their only chance to grab 3 points, so both teams will put their bodies on the line.