Bayern Munich manager Vincent Kompany has acknowledged the threat posed by Argentina side Boca Juniors, ahead of their clash in the FIFA Club World Cup in the early hours of Friday.
The Bundesliga champions set a new competition record in their opening match of the competition, cruising to a 10-0 thrashing of New Zealand amateurs, Auckland City.
Boca Juniors, on the other hand, played out a thrilling 2-2 draw against Benfica, with the Portuguese side rallying back from two goals down to secure a valuable point.
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Speaking in the prematch conference ahead of the match-day two clash, Kompany warned that his players must be ready and avoid underestimating their opponents.
He said; “We know the quality of the tournament … every team taking part here is a winning team,” Kompany told reporters ahead of Friday’s game, with Bayern looking to win their third Club World Cup title and first in the new format with 32 teams.
Boca are a very dangerous team in the transition game. They believe in their moments. The team spirit is good. We have respect for Boca. But we’re looking at ourselves and want to bring our qualities to the game.”
A win for the Bavarians will ensure they qualify for the knockout stages of the tournament, needing just a point in their final group game against Benfica to qualify as group winners.
“We know a lot of Argentinian players from the European leagues. It’s a football we understand very well,” he added. “It might feel a bit like an away game. But we want to be Bayern Munich. We have to show the right emotion.”
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Jamal Musiala and Dayot Upamecano both made their return from injuries in the win over Auckland City, with the former grabbing a second-half hat trick.
“Jamal Musiala and Dayot Upamecano haven’t played for a long time. We’re very happy that they’re back and fit. Integration is an important issue and we have to look at it. Otherwise, everyone’s 100% fit,” Kompany continued.
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