KLIK SAJA - Flamengo and Bayern Munich are set to clash in the second of Sunday’s three Round of 16 fixtures at the FIFA Club World Cup in Florida.
This highly anticipated showdown between Brazil’s top team and the reigning German champions was expected to happen at some point — though few imagined it would come this early in the tournament, with Flamengo winning their group and Bayern finishing as runners-up.
While the primary objective was to advance to the knockout stage, Bayern’s second-place finish in Group C has placed them on the tougher side of the bracket.
This matchup feels like a final played too soon, pitting two of the best clubs from the world’s most decorated footballing nations — Brazil and Germany.
Vincent Kompany’s side may have avoided Chelsea at this stage, but many believe Flamengo present an even greater challenge at the moment.
And should Bayern progress, they’re likely to face Paris Saint-Germain in the quarter-finals.
It’s a difficult path — and one that could have been avoided had Bayern secured just a point against Benfica on Tuesday.
However, a 1-0 loss to the Portuguese side saw them finish second in their group.
Bayern had already booked their place in the knockouts after back-to-back wins over Auckland City and Boca Juniors.
As a result, Kompany chose to rest nearly his entire starting lineup for the match against Benfica, prioritizing squad fitness under the sweltering American heat.
That defeat marked Bayern’s first loss since the Champions League quarter-final first leg against Inter Milan back in early April.
The result could carry major implications as they aim to capture a third Club World Cup title, having previously triumphed in 2013 and 2020.
Meanwhile, Flamengo head into the last 16 brimming with confidence after a dominant group stage campaign in which they collected seven points.
Filipe Luis’s side sealed top spot with wins over Esperance Tunis and Chelsea, before drawing with LAFC using a heavily rotated squad.
