A glance at the quarter-final line-up for the Club World Cup suggests that whoever comes out on top in the heavyweight last-eight showdown between Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich on Saturday will be the favourites to go on and win FIFA’s new competition.
Real Madrid can never be ruled out, but the Spanish giants are a work in progress under new coach Xabi Alonso before playing Borussia Dortmund on Saturday in New Jersey.
Meanwhile, PSG came to the United States fresh from winning the UEFA Champions League in style in Munich at the end of May, and Luis Enrique’s side has eased their way to the quarter-finals despite a slip-up against Brazil’s Botafogo in the group stage.
Bayern finished second in their group behind Benfica but the manner with which they disposed of Flamengo in the last 16, with Harry Kane scoring twice in a 4-2 victory, showed that the German champions mean business.
Vincent Kompany’s team have netted 16 goals across four matches and may now feel they have a point to prove after falling short in the Champions League — Bayern lost in the last eight in Europe to an Inter Milan team eventually humiliated 5-0 by PSG in the final.
“We followed PSG’s season with interest. It was a great story because things were not perfect at the beginning and yet, despite the criticism of them, they kept fighting and believing,” Kompany said.
“But that doesn’t change anything for us. We want to win.”
Club World Cup success would cap a promising first year in charge of Bayern for former Belgium defender Kompany, who led them to Bundesliga glory as they reclaimed the domestic title from Bayer Leverkusen.
– ‘We can beat anyone’ –
PSG eventually conquered Europe, but Bayern defeated the French side 1-0 in the league phase of the Champions League back in November.
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