Bayern aim to stay cool in CWC duel with Boca
Bayern Goalkeeper Manuel Neuer participates in a training session before the start of the Club World Cup group matches at the ESPN Sports Complex Sven Hoppe/dpa
Bayern Munich goalkeeper Manuel Neuer has said that Bayern Munich have to stay cool when they face Boca Juniors on Saturday night at the Club World Cup.
Bayern are aware that their opponents from Buenos Aires are of a very different calibre than Auckland City who they trounced 10-0 in their opener.
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Bayern coach Vincent Kompany drove from their base camp in Orlando to Miami to watch Boca's opening 2-2 draw with Benfica in which they led 2-0 early before having two players sent off while Benfica also ended the game with 10 men.
Kompany named the match-up a highlight in the group stage, saying: "If I wasn't Bayern coach I would have still gone to this match. Clubs with a big tradition from Europe and South America. If you had to a game in the group stage it would be this one."
Neuer said "we all saw how the game went" and that they will face fired-up team in Miami against who they have to "stay focused and cool and concentrate on our strengths."
Kompany is not expected to make big changes to his line-up, but Jamal Musiala may start after getting his first 30 minutes and scoring a hat-trick off the bench against Auckland in the comeback from a hamstring injury.
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Neuer said that "the teams from South America are not to be underestimated," and former Bayern striker Giovane Elber of Brazil highlighted that the tournament is of immense prestige for the six teams from South America.
"They are fired up for the tournament. It gives them an opportunity to play against Bayern, against Real Madrid," Elber said.
Elber was also on the pitch when Bayern last played Boca, in the 2001 Intercontinental Cup match in Tokyo which Bayern won 1-0.
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