Benfica Lisbon - FC Bayern in the live ticker: Club World Cup duel for group victory
Heat battle in Charlotte! FC Bayern Munich will face Benfica Lisbon in 36-degree heat for group victory at the Club World Cup. A single point would be enough for the Munich team to take first place. Follow the match live.
What's Vincent Kompany doing? Rotate a lot? Anything else would be downright foolish in the final group match against the familiar Champions League side Benfica Lisbon. After all, in the predicted mega-heat in Charlotte, it's no longer a matter of the whole thing for FC Bayern , or of advancing.
The Munich team is already in the knockout phase of the Club World Cup . This means that it's "only" a question of first place in Group C. And a possibly less strong opponent in the round of 16, as well as a seemingly more promising path in the subsequent rounds leading up to the German champions' declared dream goal: the final at MetLife Stadium outside New York on July 13.
"We're only thinking about what's right for us," said Kompany immediately after the grueling 2-1 victory in the key match against Boca Juniors in Miami. The Bayern coach was immediately asked by concerned Argentinian reporters whether the league leaders (6 points) could possibly agree to a draw with Benfica (4), which would ultimately benefit both teams.
Because then Boca (1 point) would be eliminated in third place, even with a predictable win against Auckland City. Kompany laughed when he heard the question. "Yeah, it's about Bayern Munich. It's absolutely impossible not to play to win. We play to win – 100 percent," he said.
But that doesn't necessarily mean that Bayern, who have qualified for the round of 16, have to field their top eleven. As group winners, they would face Chelsea or Espérance Tunis at the start of the knockout phase. As second, they would face Flamengo of Brazil, the first team in Group D.
Tuesday is forecast to be the hottest day of the week in Charlotte, North Carolina, with temperatures reaching 36 degrees Celsius. Bank of America Stadium will be completely open. The sun will be blazing. And as first in Group C, Bayern will be playing there again in the round of 16 just four days later.
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