Club World Cup: Benfica Have a Point to Make Against Bayern  

Benfica vs Bayern Munich

Benfica enter the final game of their Club World Cup Group C, campaign needing a point in their last match against Bayern Munich to join the Bavarians in the knockout phase of this club football extravaganza.  

Vincent Kompany’s Bayern have already booked their passage, sitting top of the group with six points while the Portuguese side is just two points behind and within touching distance of progress.

Benfica head coach Bruno Lage is well known to Premier League fans as a short term manager of Wolverhampton Wanderers in 2022, but after a stint at Botafogo, he has settled in his homeland and led Benfica to a second placed finish in their domestic league last term. His team will settle for a similar outcome in this group but, against a side which they have taken too many beatings from in recent years, including one in the Champions League last season, the Portuguese team would dearly love to batter the Bavarians in Charlotte on Tuesday.  

 

Talking Points

Has Lage forgiven Kokcu?  

In their two matches so far, Benfica drew 2-2 with Argentine side Boca Juniors before hammering Auckland 6-0, but it wasn’t all smiles as the Lisbon giants swept aside the New Zealanders. Twenty-four year-old Turkey star Orkun Kokcu had a furious row with his boss after he was substituted, to be replaced by Renato Sanches, with the score at 3-0. The two men were seen screaming and pointing at each other after the combative midfielder had been hooked. And Benfica fans will hope the pair has kissed and made up; Kokcu is a key figure in defence and attack, netting 14 goals in 60 appearances for Benfica and three in 41 for his country. Sanches, on loan from Paris Saint-Germain, has been lightly used by Lage and I suspect the boss will forgive Kokcu and restore him to a starting place for this crucial tie.   

This is a team with serious quality, captained by Argentine star Nicolas Otamendi and with his compatriot, Angel Di Maria top scoring on three. The experienced group also has Azzurri striker Andrea Belotti on loan from Como and Greek goal scorer Angelis Pavlidis leading the line…these men know how to win a big game.  

 

Boca showed how to hassle Bayern

Vincent Kompany’s Bayern Munich love to hand out a thrashing to smaller clubs and they did just that when they came up against the part-timers of Auckland, recording a record competition win at 10-0. It was one of the most eye-catching Club World Cup 2025 results, but Bayern had a much tougher assignment against Boca Juniors, edging a three goal match thanks to a late goal from the ever improving Michael Olise.  

Boca gave the Bavarians very little time to settle and, despite having 72% possession, Kompany’s men struggled to break the well-organised Argentine resistance. Otamendi will know how to marshal a defence to thwart the Germans and Bayern will have to be more inventive to cause Benfica serious problems. The Portuguese giants can learn from Boca by using disruptive tactics to break down attacks and harry constantly for the ball.    

But Bayern’s star striker Harry Kane has just one goal in the competition so far, despite the Bavarians hitting double figures against Auckland, and he will just need a sniff of a chance to punish the Portuguese.

 

History

Bayern Munich have won six of their eight meetings with Benfica, including the last five, most recently a 1-0 win in the 2024/25 Champions League group stage as Harry Kane teed up the winner for Jamal Musiala.  

In terms of recent form, Bayern are in better shape, having won five of the last six outings and Kompany’s men are unbeaten in eight games in all competitions, while Benfica have won two, draw three and lost one of their last six matches.  

 

Betting Tip

The Club World Cup 2025 betting odds make the Bavarians one of the most likely teams to win the trophy and they are the odds on favourites to win this clash at a SBOTOP price of 1.93, while Benfica can be backed at 3.27 with the draw at 3.07. Boca Juniors gave the Portuguese side plenty of hope in the way they frustrated the Bundesliga champions and nearly escaped with a point, which would have put a very different slant on this clash.

As it is Bayern are already through to the knockout phase and I suspect the added incentive for the Portuguese side, combined with their experienced squad will give Benfica a vital edge. They only need a point but I think Lage’s team can win this one.     

   

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