Bayern Munich vs Boca Juniors: Club World Cup Match Preview, Odds & Predictions

If Bayern Munich beat Boca Juniors in Saturday morning's Group B match at Hard Rock Stadium, they will have a shot at advancing to the Club World Cup round of 16.

In their first encounter on June 15, the German powerhouses thrashed Auckland City 10-0, propelling them to the top of the group.  In their first match on June 16, Boca Juniors and Benfica played to a 2-2 tie, and now they are in third place with one point.

Previous Matches and Head-to-head

In a lopsided first match, Bayern Munich cruised to a 10-0 victory against part-time outfit Auckland City. The lead was 6-0 at halftime, and Bayern continued their dominating play in the revamped Club World Cup.

While facing only one shot (in the 80th minute), Vincent Kompany's team had 31 attempts and created seven good opportunities. They hardly broke a sweat.  With that resounding effort, they have now scored 26 goals in their previous six matches while also keeping five clean sheets.

With five victories in their last six meetings, Bayern's undefeated streak stretches to eight matches. With a win against Boca Juniors on Saturday, they may secure an early qualification for the round of 16.  But it won't be official unless Benfica loses against Auckland on Friday.

After allowing a two-goal cushion—created by Miguel Merentiel and Rodrigo Andrés Battaglia by the 27th minute—to slip away, Boca Juniors will linger in frustration after battling to a 2-2 draw against Portuguese heavyweights Benfica on Monday.

Nonetheless, hosting a top-tier European team demonstrated Argentina's worldwide competitiveness and proved once again that South American teams can compete with the best in Europe.

With 33 points after 16 games, Miguel Russo's squad is in second place in Group A of the first phase of Argentina's Primera División.  Having won six of their past seven matches, their recent record has been inconsistent, with only one victory, one loss, and two draws in their last four.

The low result of 10 goals scored and seven goals surrendered in Boca's last seven games across all competitions betrays their offensive potential and defensive frailty.

Bayern Munich vs Boca Juniors Team News

Although Dayot Upamecano might replace captain Manuel Neuer in central defence, Kompany is likely to start a mostly similar team. This would provide the defense a much-needed physical presence. Jonathan Tah could also begin to be beside Upamecano.

Following their impressive performance in the first match, Joshua Kimmich and Aleksandar Pavlovic will most likely keep playing as a double pivot in the middle of the field, while Harry Kane will be itching to score his first goal of the tournament.  With recruit Michael Olise and Kingsley Coman beside him, the England captain will spearhead the attack.

The match against Bayern Munich on Saturday is approaching, and Boca has to shore up their defence.  Ayrton Costa and Marcos Rojo will start in the middle of the defence because Nicolas Figal is suspended for the match against Benfica for receiving a red card.

Another midfielder who will not be participating is Ander Herrera, who was substituted after leaving the pitch due to an injury.  So, Tomás Belmonte and Rodrigo Battaglia may be Russo's choice for the engine room.

Due to Merentiel's injury sustained on matchday one, Exequiel Zeballos may be called upon to replace Boca's early scorer in the offensive three.

Our Predictions

 Harry Kane to score @ 1.68 on Sky247.ng.

The challenge that Boca Juniors will present to Bayern will be far higher than what they faced against Auckland, and they will undoubtedly have opportunities to test Manuel Neuer's goal.

However, Kane is expected to have a significant impact on Saturday morning's match, and the Bavarians are expected to win thanks to their offensive depth and overall brilliance.

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