Having manouvered through the group stages in style, Flamengo face a big test of character as they take on Bayern Munich in the round of 16 clash. The Brazilian giants have made a big impact on the Club World Cup by topping their group and beating English giants Chelsea in the process.
They finished the group with two wins and a draw while remaining unbeaten so far. Felipe Luis has done a remarkable job so far with his energetic side, as he also heavily rotated the team during their draw with LAFC in the final group game. The test with Bayern Munich is certainly a tough one, but one the Brazilian giants can go into with full confidence.
Meanwhile, Bayern Munich were surprisingly beaten in the final group game by Benfica, who ended up topping the group ahead of the round of 16. The result against the Portuguese giants meant the Bavarian outfit would enter the next round as runners-up and in the process probably avoided Chelsea as their next opponent.
Their loss to Benfica was a bit surprising given how relentless Vincent Kompany’s men have been so far with their results, including a 10-0 rout of Auckland FC in the opening game of their campaign. From now on, it is a do-or-die situation for the Bavarians, as they will want to progress by beating Flamengo, and should they get past the Brazilian giants, PSG will be waiting for them in all likelihood.
Filipe Luis should welcome many of his first-team regulars for this mammoth clash with Bayern Munich. Nicolas de la Cruz remains the only known absentee for Flamengo, while Gerson, Erick Pulgar and Jorginho should all return to the lineup.
Luis might line in a similar way he did against Chelsea, with an identical team likely to take the field against Bayern Munich. Jorginho and Pulgar will marshall the midfield, with Gerson playing in the advanced role, as well as slotting in deeper if needed.
Brazilian league top scorer Giorgian De Arrascaeta will be a massive asset for Flamengo in this clash, as he takes the right wing slot and even comes in centrally. Luiz Araujo will take the left-hand side as a result, with Gonzalo Plata leading the line for Flamengo against Bayern Munich.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Rossi; Wesley Franca, Danilo, Leo Pereira, Ayrton Lucas; Pulgar; Jorginho; De Arrascaeta, Gerson, Luiz Araujo; Plata
Vincent Kompany made his set of changes for the final group game against Benfica, and the Bayern Munich manager could recall some of the regulars to the setup for the Flamengo encounter.
Jonathan Tah will be a presence at the back as he partners up with Dayot Upamecano in the heart of the defence. Konrad Laimer and Raphael Guerreiro are the full-back options for Kompany for this clash.
As for the midfield unit, Leon Goretzka will pair up with Joshua Kimmich in the double pivot. The main front three of Harry Kane, Michael Olise and Kingsley Coman are all set to return and feature, with Jamal Musiala operating in the No.10 position.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Neuer; Laimer, Tah, Upamecano, Guerreiro; Goretzka, Kimmich; Olise, Musiala, Coman; Kane
The England captain has a big task to lead his team to FIFA Club World Cup glory as Flamengo stand in their way at the first hurdle. Kane has been in superb form for Bayern Munich since last season, and he will hope to add to the first trophy of his senior career with the Bundesliga triumph.
The veteran striker will gladly add the Club World Cup to his list, and for that, a big performance against the unpredictable Flamengo seems necessary. There are plenty of other high-profile stars as well as the Brazilian team to look for in this clash, with Kane certainly carrying the mentality to be the protagonist.
Bayern Munich might be slight favourites on paper against teams outside of Europe, but the unpredictability of Flamengo might take them by surprise. The fact that the Bavarian giants have finished their season, while the Brazilians are in the middle of it makes the prediction tricky.
Flamengo have shown plenty of character while taking on the big teams as seen against Chelsea, and they could edge past Bayern Munich in this clash. We see the Brazilian giants going past Die Roten in this knockout rounds, which will be seen as a sort of upset in the European circles.
