Izuchukwu OkosiPrime Business Africa previews the first game of Group C in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup in the USA.
German Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich take on Australia’s Auckland City in what many pundits have already considered a routine win for the German side.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelAuckland City are made up of semi- professional players who have other regular jobs not football.
There are teachers, plumbers, engineers among the players.
Could the tournament offer a lifeline of a better life for a few of them?
Despite their emotional backstory, Bayern are not in the mood for any mercy against the Aussies.
Head coach of the Bavarians unequivocally at his press conference prior to today’s game saying they need to start in a sound footing.
“We want to go into the tournament full of belief,” former Burnley manager, Kompany declared.
“We’ve got the feeling now that things are finally starting, that we’re excited about the game and what this tournament can bring.
“At the end of the day, you need results. But our feeling is that we’ve got s good mix of fun from being together and concentration. We’ve had good intensity from the start.
“But we need to win the first tournament first, which is the group,” the former Manchester City defender told the media.
The Bayern side arrived the USA ahead of their game in Cincinnati in two batches on Tuesday and Friday and have been training at their basecamp in Orlando.
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Auckland’s best finish in the tournament was a third place finish in 2014.
Auckland have won the Ocean is Champions League 13 times and the New Zealand title 10 times – both are competition records.
Reaching this tournament is already a success on its own for the Aussies but the greater satisfaction lies in seeing a few clubs across the globe snapping up a player or two ahead of the 2025/2026 season.
Prime Business Africa’s prediction: Bayern Munich 7-1 Auckland City.
Izuchukwu Okosi is a Nigerian sports and entertainment journalist with two decades of experience in the media industry having begun his media journey in 2002 as an intern at Mundial Sports International (MSI) and Africa Independent Television (AIT), owners of Daar Communications Plc.
