Bayern vs Flamengo: Club World Cup tie has Champions League vibes, says Kompany
MIAMI GARDENS, June 29 — Bayern Munich coach Vincent Kompany says that for all the fascination and romance of playing against Flamengo in today's Club World Cup round-of-16 match, he expects the game to be similar to a Champions League contest.
Six-times European champions Bayern take on three-times Copa Libertadores winners Flamengo at Hard Rock Stadium with a place in the quarter-finals up for grabs.
It is the kind of fixture that Fifa surely had in mind when they came up with the idea for the tournament but for the Bayern boss, the task at hand is a familiar one.
'Flamengo is a top team with a good mixture of tactical discipline, aggressiveness, and a very real dose of Brazilian creativity and flair,' said the former Manchester City defender in his first season in charge of the Bundesliga giants.
'Most top-level Champions League teams defend as a unit, and Flamengo has that discipline. That's why I see this game as similar to a top-level game in Europe,' he said.
'Flamengo has a clear structure and discipline, which is essential for any top-level team. They defend well as a unit and have the ability to create dangerous situations on the ball,' he added.
Bayern go into the game after losing their final group stage game against Benfica 1-0 having fielded a weakened team. But victories against Auckland City and Boca Juniors had already assured the German side of a place in the knockout stage.
While Brazilian teams have shown during this tournament that they can compete with European clubs, Kompany still sees some elements of the country's traditional flair amid the tactical discipline.
'The way we associate Brazilian football is with creativity — things that people do on the pitch that we sometimes can't even think about,' he said.
Like Kompany, Flamengo's coach Filipe Luis is only 39 and the former Atletico Madrid and Chelsea defender has clearly studied his opponent closely.
'I never played with him, I don't know him personally, but I know his career and the great character he has. Tactically, I studied his team a lot — even Burnley last year had interesting ideas,' said Luis.
'This year, especially early on at Bayern, I watched a lot of their games. He has some very interesting concepts. As I've said before, I try to copy and learn from the best. Bayern was a reference for many of us this year. So I had the chance to watch many of his games early in the season.
'It's a team that's really absorbed his model well, and without a doubt, one of the toughest opponents we could face. These are the kinds of matches every coach and player wants to be part of. So it's a big privilege,' he said.
Kompany might be able to call again on German international Jamal Musiala, who having ended the season with injury missed the Benfica game after picking up a knock against Boca.
'He's back in training. For us it's preferable to not having him at all, for example. But as for his role — we'll have to wait and decide tomorrow,' said the coach.
'He's here, so he'll be in the squad tomorrow. But what happens then — we'll see.' — AFP
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