Bayern Munich started their FIFA Club World Cup campaign with a 10-0 win over Auckland City, and they will be full of confidence heading into this game vs Boca Juniors on Friday.
Meanwhile, Boca Juniors were held to a draw by SL Benfica in their opening game of the Club World Cup. Bayern Munich are undoubtedly the favourites heading into this contest, and it will be interesting to see if they can grind out a positive result.
On paper, they will be the better team, and it remains to be seen whether they can produce a strong performance. Meanwhile, Boca Juniors will look to pull off an upset here. The Bundesliga champion cannot afford to underestimate them, and the Argentina outfit have the quality to upset the odds. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at the encounter ahead of the upcoming meeting between the two sides.
Vincent Kompany will be without Alphonso Davies due to ACL damage. Hiroki Ito and Kim Min-jae are out due to knocks. Bayern Munich will shape up in a 4-2-3-1 formation vs Boca Juniors, with Manuel Neuer in goal.
Sacha Boey and Raphael Guerreiro will start as the full-backs, and they will look to contribute at both ends of the pitch. Jonathan Tah will form the central defensive partnership alongside Dayot Upamecano.
As for the midfield unit, Joshua Kimmich and Leon Goretzka will add physicality and defensive cover to the side. Thomas Muller will reprise the attacking midfield role, and he will look to create opportunities for his teammates here.
Jamal Musiala and Michael Olise will add pace and flair from the wide areas, with Harry Kane leading the line for Bayern Munich vs Boca Juniors on Friday.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Neuer; Boey, Tah, Upamecano, Guerreiro; Kimmich, Goretzka; Olise, Muller, Musiala; Kane
Ander Herrera and Nicolas Figal are both suspended for Boca Juniors here. Marco Pellegrino is ruled out with an injury. Boca Juniors will start in a 4-2-3-1 formation vs Bayern Munich, with Agustin Marchesin in goal.
Luis Advincula and Lautaro Blanco will start as the full-backs. They will look to keep things tight defensively and hit the German champions on the break. At the heart of the defence, Marcos Rojo will start alongside Ayrton Costa.
As for the midfield unit, Rodrigo Battaglia will start alongside Tomas Belmonte in the double pivot. They will look to protect the defensive unit and win the ball back for their side.
Alan Velasco will start in the attacking midfield role, and he will look to link the midfield with the attack. Kevin Zenon and Carlos Palacios will start on the flanks here. They will look to create opportunities in the final third and help out during transitions. Miguel Merentiel will lead the line for Boca Juniors vs Bayern Munich.
Probable Lineup (4-2 -3-1): Marchesin; Advincula, Rojo, Costa, Blanco; Battaglia, Belmonte; Zenon, Velasco, Palacios; Merentiel
Bayern Munich have been outstanding going forward in the recent outing, and they would like to continue their impressive form in the final third. Harry Kane is our key player to watch out for. The England captain will look to add to his goal tally for the season.
He will look to create goalscoring opportunities for his teammates and find the back of the net as well. The 31-year-old is a world-class player, and Boca Juniors will struggle to contain a player of his ability. Bayern Munich will be hoping for a convincing victory here, and they will need the English striker to step up and deliver.
The Bundesliga champions are undoubtedly the better team in theory, and they should be able to get a good result here. Boca Juniors will look to put up a strong showing, but the gulf in class between the two teams is significant.
Bayern Munich are likely to come out on top here, and this is going to be another comfortable outing for them. The South American outfit will fall short eventually, and a comprehensive victory for the German champions is on the cards. The Hard Tackle predicts a 5-0 win for Vincent Kompany and his charges.
