Bayern Munich's Club World Cup rivals missing several players as they didn't have enough annual leave left from day jobs
BAYERN MUNICH's opening Club World Cup opponents are facing a major crisis after several of their players failed to get holidays to play in the tournament.
The 2024/25 Bundesliga champions will face amateur New Zealand side Auckland City in Cincinnati on Sunday evening.
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Amateu side Auckland City are without several players for the Club World Cup as they were denied annual leave
Credit: GETTY
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Auckland's players have full-time jobs, with Conor Terry being a forklift operator
Credit: CONOR TERY
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Skipper Mario Ilich is a salesman for Coca-Cola
Credit: MARIO ILICH
Auckland have been drawn in a group of death along with Bayern, Benfica and Boca Juniors.
And their slim chances of making the last 16 have been rocked by several of their players not being able to travel to America due to their job requirements back home.
Interim head coach Paul Posa said: "All of the players have other jobs alongside their football commitments.
"However, they have an extraordinary dedication to their football outside of their working hours.
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"Players have had to take annual leave from their jobs.
"Indeed, some of the players were unable to take time to attend both the OFC Champions League competition and the Club World Cup."
Auckland's squad is made up of forklift drivers, a fizzy drink salesman, real estate agents and a warehouse manager.
Reflecting on Auckland's group of death, Posa added: "It's quite possibly the toughest group we could have drawn.
"We have two traditional European powerhouses in Bayern Munich and Benfica and Boca Juniors, who are also capable of going all the way."
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The odds may be stacked against Auckland, but Posa, who is in temporary charge of the side due to Albert Riera's absence, has a history of Club World Cup upsets.
During his first stint with the club, Posa guided Auckland to a fifth-placed finish in the 2009 Club World Cup.
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Posa would love nothing more than to repeat his success, but is a realist when it comes to his side's chances of doing so.
"It's nice to dream we could be that competitive again," he said. "However, we're realistic about the challenge."
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an hour ago
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If Greg Taylor leaves Celtic for PAOK he can expect broken windows, riot police and tear gas
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I had five different managers in those two seasons.' Away from the wild scenes on the sidelines there was quality on the park. And the sunshine lifestyle was something Kerr could never have imagined in a career otherwise spent in Aberdeen, Dundee, Falkirk and Ayr. Should Taylor finalise his move to Thessaloniki then he can expect sun, blue sea and golden sand. But Kerr admits, if it was his choice, he'd still choose the east end of Glasgow's version of Paradise. Could Greece make Taylor a better player? The former Ayr United boss, who left Kelty Hearts with Charlie Mulgrew earlier this season, said: 'That's a hard one for me to answer. I know Kieran Tierney's coming back and it's maybe about game time, but I'd never be leaving Celtic! 'There's obviously things in the background that you don't know about. I just don't know how you get better than playing for Celtic and in the Champions League. 'He's got a decision to make for his family, obviously. 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