Inter Milan settled for a 1-1 draw against Mexico’s Monterrey in their Club World Cup opener on Tuesday night, marking the Italian giants’ return to competitive action since their Champions League final defeat.
Veteran Spanish defender Sergio Ramos delivered a spectacular headed goal in the first half, electrifying a largely pro-Mexico crowd in Southern California.
It was also a memorable debut for Monterrey’s new manager, Domènec Torrent.
Inter responded through Lautaro Martínez, who struck in the 42nd minute to level the score. The Argentine forward calmly tapped in a pass from Carlos Augusto after a beautifully executed set-piece routine.
“It was a very difficult match against a great rival, a Champions League finalist. We knew the physical demands it would take,” Ramos said following the match.
Despite dominating possession with nearly 62%, Inter failed to capitalize on their control of the game, managing just one goal from 13 shots.
Monterrey, by contrast, scored from their only effort on target.
Cristian Chivu, making his managerial debut for Inter, took charge of a side featuring only seven players from Simone Inzaghi’s Champions League final lineup.
The Nerazzurri were playing again just 17 days after suffering a humiliating 5-0 loss to Paris Saint-Germain in Munich.
Martínez appeared to have found the net again in the 68th minute, but the goal was disallowed for offside.
The match grew increasingly tense in the closing moments, with both teams missing late chances. Martínez was also shown a yellow card during stoppage time.
Striker Marcus Thuram, who is recovering from injury, came off the bench early in the second half to replace 22-year-old Sebastiano Esposito, making his first appearance for Inter since 2020 after returning from a string of seven loan spells.
