What Boca Juniors Will Face in Their Clash Against a Resurgent Bayern at the Club World Cup

As Bayern Munich prepare for their upcoming Club World Cup clash with Boca Juniors, Vincent Kompany and his team will certainly be hoping for a much tighter contest compared to their tournament opener against Auckland City.

The 10-0 drubbing was, quite frankly, a sour spot for FIFA as much as it was for the New Zealand team, and such a double-digit scoreline is unlikely to be surpassed anytime soon.

Al Hilal previously held the record for the largest winning margin, having defeated Al Jazira 6-1 in 2021. It’s evident that whenever European powerhouses face off against so-called underdogs, the potential for skewed scorelines exists.

No tournament that bills itself as a global showcase should permit a scenario where one team is notably superior to another by 10 goals.

This undermines the integrity of the competition and raises further questions about why some of the top players in the world are compelled to participate when a break from the demands of another league season would likely be more advantageous.

Rest and recovery appear to be concepts to which FIFA pays mere lip service. Ultimately, the governing body will also suffer as fatigued players are unlikely to perform at their best and are more vulnerable to injuries, meaning this Club World Cup could turn out to be counterproductive.

First encounter since the 2001 Intercontinental Cup

Regardless, Bayern have only faced an Argentinian side once before, and it just so happened to be Boca Juniors. On that occasion during the 2001 Intercontinental Cup, the Germans triumphed 1-0.

In all the Club World Cup matches they have participated in, they have won every single one, bringing their total to five victories with an aggregate score of 18-0.

In five of their last six matches across all competitions, Bayern have kept clean sheets, so for Boca, simply getting a goal against a team that seized this tournament in 2013 and 2020, as well as boasting wins in two Intercontinental Cups, would be viewed as a triumph.

Surprisingly, Harry Kane wasn’t able to score in Bayern’s opener, and he will be eager to change that in this encounter.

Bayern dominate the individual scoring charts

Jamal Musiala, fresh off a hat-trick against Auckland City, has an opportunity to widen his lead atop the scoring leaderboard, with his brilliant teammate, Michael Olise, in close pursuit after his brace and two assists in the previous match, making him another player to watch against Boca.

Bayern’s Kingsley Coman and Thomas Muller are the only other players in the tournament with two goals apiece, with the latter celebrating his 250th for the club (in his 752nd appearance) during that overwhelmingly one-sided opener.

Boca Juniors encountered a far more challenging first game, facing Benfica and managing just a 2-2 draw despite initially taking the lead through Miguel Merentiel and Rodrigo Battaglia.

Boca’s manager, Miguel Angel Russo, will need to make adjustments for this match given Ander Herrera’s injury and the red card he received following a dispute with a security guard during a VAR penalty review in favour of Benfica.

Add to that Jorge Figal’s reckless late challenge which also earned him a red card and suspension, making for less-than-optimal preparation against a team that has evidently found their rhythm in the competition.

Perhaps the passionate support from Boca’s fans can create a home-like atmosphere in the stands, giving them a glimmer of hope against the clear favourites, Bayern Munich.

Prior to the Benfica match, the blue and yellow shirts of Boca were seen in droves around the Hard Rock Stadium, creating a lively atmosphere reminiscent of their home ground, La Bombonera (officially known as Estadio Alberto J Armando).

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Boca will rely on their fans to rally support

This wall of sound serves as both a source of concern for Boca and a vital element necessary to help their side, who finished second in this season’s Torneo Apertura, to stand firm against Germany’s elite.

A win for Bayern would ensure their advancement to the knockout round of the tournament, while a draw or a Boca victory would mean the battle for qualification continues until the final minute of the last group match.

For the neutral spectator, this contest promises to be among the most exciting of the tournament as South American tenacity clashes with unyielding European prowess.