Allianz Arena will stage a classic David-versus-Goliath clash on 12 December when European champions FC Bayern München face Oceania representatives Auckland City in the opening quarter-final of the FIFA Club World Cup. The German giants arrive as 2/9 favourites with every major bookmaker, while the amateurs from New Zealand are priced as high as 18/1 to produce what would rank as the biggest shock in the tournament’s history.
FORM CHECK
Bayern have lost once in 23 competitive matches this season, scoring 57 goals at an average of 2.5 per game. Auckland, composed largely of teachers, students and part-time tradesmen, have not played an official fixture since May’s OFC Champions League final. Their match sharpness will hinge on two friendlies against local Bundesliga academies arranged once they landed in Doha for a ten-day training camp.
TACTICAL MATCH-UP
Julian Nagelsmann is expected to rotate after the frantic Bundesliga schedule, yet even a second-string XI could feature seven internationals. A 4-2-3-1 spearheaded by Eric-Maxim Choupo-Moting should still overload an Auckland back five that conceded twice against semi-professional Fijian sides in July. The Navy Blues will deploy a deep 5-4-1, hoping left-footed captain Álvaro Cejudo can spring counter-attacks via long diagonals to striker Emiliano Tade, the competition’s all-time leading scorer with six goals.
KEY STAT
Bayern’s average market value per player (€38 m) is 190 times that of Auckland’s (€0.2 m). The last time the clubs met in 2013, the Bavarians cruised 2-0 with 74 percent possession.
VERDICT
Anything but a routine Bayern win would be a miracle. Expect the Germans to cover the -3 Asian handicap, with Choupo-Moting and teenage wing-back Josip Stanišić boosting the goal difference early. Auckland’s target is sporting: avoid a cricket score, soak in the occasion, and hopefully nick a set-piece that reminds the world why the Club World Cup still welcomes every confederation.
