Latest news with #VincentKompany
Miami Herald
15 hours ago
- Sport
- Miami Herald
Bayern Munich ready to face another South American power in Miami in Club World Cup
Bayern Munich doesn't lose very often. They don't finish second very often either. But one loss last week is all it took for Bayern Munich to go from Group winner to Group runner-up in this year's FIFA Club World Cup. Germany's premier soccer club made it past the group stage, but knows it must regroup quickly as the consequence of its 1-0 loss to Benfica last week was a date with Brazil's top club, Flamengo, in a Round of 16 contest Sunday afternoon at 4 at Hard Rock Stadium. The tournament has continually drawn large, near-capacity crowds and figures to do so again as two of the club's with the most supporters on the planet battle for a spot in the quarterfinals. While Bayern Munich, a 34-time champion of the German Bundesliga, has the reputation for being one of the world's strongest clubs, Flamengo has proven it can hold its own with the world's best in terms of talent and fans. Entering this decade, Flamengo's YouTube channel surpassed over 5 million subscriptions and it is estimated to have had over 40 million fans, a number that has grown even more in recent years. Flamengo has made those legions happy often as an eight-time champion of Brazil's top league. Flamengo has lived up to the hype in this year's Club World Cup, winning Group D after impressive victories over Chelsea and Esperance Sportive de Tunis and a draw after the Brazilian side had already clinched advancement to the knockout stage. Bayern Munich witnessed firsthand the potential atmosphere it could face Sunday on June 20 when it defeated Boca Juniors 2-1 in front of a sellout crowd of 63,587, many of which were supporting the Argentine powerhouse. So, as recently-hired Bayern Munich manager Vincent Kompany faces some criticism for some of his lineup choices in the loss to Benfica, he is wary not to underestimate his club's foe in an all-or-nothing matchup. 'Brazilian teams represent a great blend of individual and collective qualities,' Kompany recently told ESPN. 'They may have some tactical gaps, but they are incredibly creative and can always find unconventional solutions on the pitch. We knew from the start that we would face a group with Flamengo and Chelsea in the playoffs. Frankly, I don't see a significant difference in the level of these teams; for us, nothing changes – it doesn't matter who we play against; what's important is to play our usual football.' The loss to Benfica was Bayern Munich's first since April 8 when it lost the first leg of the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals against Inter Milan. Bayern Munich has scored 12 goals so far in the Club World Cup, but 10 of those came in a 10-0 drubbing of Auckland City, a New Zealand club made up mostly of amateur players. Since that win, Bayern Munich has found the back of the net only twice in two games. Kompany, who also recently praised the field quality at Hard Rock Stadium recently, subbed out seven starters from the prior game against Boca in the loss to Benfica. Stars like Harry Kane and Michael Olise entered the game in the second half and improved the side's level of play, but not enough to squeak out a result and perhaps help them win the group. On the flip side, Flamengo is also well-aware of the challenge and opportunity in front of it. Flamengo delivered a memorable performance in its 3-1 win over Chelsea, which clinched its advancement to the Round of 16. Goals by Bruno Henrique, Danilo and Wallace Yan in a 21-minute span in the second half quickly turned a 1-0 deficit into one of Flamengo's biggest wins in recent memory. Flamengo coach Filipe Luis feels his team respects Bayern Munich, but is confident it can obtain another major victory against one of Europe's best. 'Bayern is a colossus, a European giant,' Luis told reporters recently in Portuguese. 'Absolutely dominant team in its games, in its national championship, and with an extraordinary squad. 'It's just that in one game anything can happen. They will try to play their game and impose their rhythm and we will certainly have our chance to do the same thing, and in the end may the best one win.'
Yahoo
a day ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
🚨 Bundesliga reveal fixtures for 2025/26 season
The Bundesliga's schedule for next season has been revealed. Reigning champions Bayern Munich are set to officially kick things off in the German top flight when they host RB Leipzig on 22 August. Vincent Kompany's side will do battle with arch-rivals Borussia Dortmund for the first time next term at the Allianz Arena on the weekend of 17 October. Opening day Final day Further announcements on definitive match dates will be made by the German Football Federation on the week commencing 7 July. 📸 Maja Hitij - 2025 Getty Images
Arab News
3 days ago
- Sport
- Arab News
South American fans ignite Club World Cup, Palmeiras v Botafogo to set it ablaze
MIAMI: As the expanded 32-team Club World Cup approaches the knockout rounds, one clear highlight has been the electric atmosphere generated by South American supporters, whose passion, volume and spectacle have left their global counterparts in the shade. Some arenas, particularly Miami's Hard Rock Stadium, have been transformed not just by Lionel Messi-mania, but by the sonic boom of Boca Juniors and Palmeiras fans. Boca's blue and gold, as well Palmeiras' cream and green, have filled the stands in roaring, boisterous displays. Boca fans turned the Hard Rock Stadium into a replica of their La Bombonera home stadium, their chants and celebrations so powerful they made the stands shake, even drawing admiration from Bayern Munich coach Vincent Kompany. They stormed Miami Beach for a giant 'Banderazo', grilling, dancing and chanting for hours ahead of their team's opening game against Benfica. While some matches in Cincinnati and Orlando struggled to draw more than a few thousand spectators, Boca and Palmeiras played in front of 60,000-plus fans, creating scenes more akin to Sao Paulo or Buenos Aires than suburban America. Palmeiras fans brought the flair and noise to their final Group A game against Inter Miami on Monday, where a late 2–2 comeback was roared on by their diehards who made the hosts feel like they were on foreign soil. But beneath the celebrations lurks a rivalry that is becoming one of South America's fiercest: Palmeiras v Botafogo. Though the two clubs hail from different Brazilian cities — Palmeiras from Sao Paulo, Botafogo from Rio — fate has thrown them together repeatedly over the past three years. It began when Palmeiras staged a dramatic surge to snatch the Brazilian league title from Botafogo two years ago, a collapse that stung deeply in Rio. The following season Botafogo got revenge, knocking Palmeiras out in the round of 16 of the Copa Libertadores before going all the way to win the title. Sunday's last-16 showdown in Philadelphia promises to be the fiercest yet and will add another chapter to what is rapidly becoming the defining duel of modern Brazilian football. 'REAL WORLD' For European clubs used to pristine stadiums and moments of silence, the raw fervor from South America has been a wake-up call. 'I love when I see Botafogo, all the Brazilian teams, Argentinian teams, how they celebrate, how they are together, I love them,' said Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola. 'I like how all the games are tight, except one or two, and people are surprised, European teams lose. Welcome to the real world. Welcome to the real world my friends,' he added. Bayern's Kompany echoed the sentiment. 'I've had a long career ... that crowd was hostile in the best possible way ... Many fans would pay to watch that,' he said after his team beat Boca Juniors 2-1 last week. With the US, Canada and Mexico hosting the World Cup in 2026, South American fans are likely to become the beating heart of the tournament with their spontaneous, relentless energy. Their presence at the Club World Cup has turned the event from a corporate experiment into something electric and alive, and left their European counterparts with something to think about.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Bayern remain confident at Club World Cup despite Benfica setback
Bayern Munich coach Vincent Kompany walks on the pitch ahead of the FIFA Club World Cup Group C soccer match between Sport Lisboa e Benfica and Bayern Munich at Hard Rock Stadium. Sven Hoppe/dpa Bayern Munich coach Vincent Kompany has defended his rotation scheme in the 1-0 defeat against Benfica and insisted it doesn't make a difference who they now face in the knock-out stages of the Club World Cup. Kompany said he had to bring on seven new players in the sweltering heat in Charlotte in order to keep everyone fit and healthy. Advertisement Bayern's Harry Kane, Joshua Kimmich and Michael Olise only came on for the second half, but, although Konrad Laimer hit the post and Leroy Sané also had several top chances, the Lisbon club held on to win from Andreas Schjelderup's 13th-minute effort. As a result, Benfica finished atop Group C and will next face Chelsea in what some say could be the easier half of the knock-out draw. Second-placed Bayern will be up against Brazil's Flamengo, and if they get through Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain could be next. "There are no easy knock-out rounds," Kompany insisted, with veteran forward Thomas Müller adding: "Of course they are good. But we have also beaten them. Advertisement 'What happened here has no relevance. I know that a knock-out round like this is always playing with fire. But I'm convinced that we'll still be here for some time," Müller said. "We're right on track in terms of our mentality of wanting to win here." Kompany named his rotation "very logical" after Bayern were already assured of a last 16 berth before the match, and because he wanted to avoid that "all the players are dead because they played 90 minutes in the heat here. "It is my aim to bring us into the best possible condition for the next game. And a positive result will prove me right," Kompany said. Advertisement The coach said his players "had cramps" and "suffered", but he also saw that the new-look starting 11 including midfield debutant Tom Bischof played a very modest first half. Improvement only came after the changes at the break. But midfielder Joshua Kimmich defended Kompany, saying: "It was also about the coach wanting to take all the players along with him. It's not enough to just have a good starting XI. You also need players behind them who work. They also need a rhythm." Goalkeeper Manuel Neuer said that "we definitely have to analyse the first half critically" but "what we showed in the second half, that was Bayern Munich. "Looking at the second half today, we feel positive going forward. If we can create these kinds of chances for 90 minutes in the next game, I'm convinced we will be successful," Neuer added. Advertisement Kompany agreed, saying: "We're not taking any negatives into that game. We know we can create opportunities to score. We were dominant and created more chances, but we didn't win. We can't let that happen in the next rounds, but we're taking a lot of momentum into the next game anyway. "The first phase of the tournament is over, the second one starts. And that is a new story. We're going all-in for the game against Flamengo."
CNA
3 days ago
- Sport
- CNA
South American fans ignite Club World Cup, Palmeiras v Botafogo to set it ablaze
MIAMI :As the expanded 32-team Club World Cup approaches the knockout rounds, one clear highlight has been the electric atmosphere generated by South American supporters, whose passion, volume and spectacle have left their global counterparts in the shade. Some arenas, particularly Miami's Hard Rock Stadium, have been transformed not just by Lionel Messi-mania, but by the sonic boom of Boca Juniors and Palmeiras fans. Boca's blue and gold, as well Palmeiras' cream and green, have filled the stands in roaring, boisterous displays. Boca fans turned the Hard Rock Stadium into a replica of their La Bombonera home stadium, their chants and celebrations so powerful they made the stands shake, even drawing admiration from Bayern Munich coach Vincent Kompany. They stormed Miami Beach for a giant 'Banderazo', grilling, dancing and chanting for hours ahead of their team's opening game against Benfica. While some matches in Cincinnati and Orlando struggled to draw more than a few thousand spectators, Boca and Palmeiras played in front of 60,000-plus fans, creating scenes more akin to Sao Paulo or Buenos Aires than suburban America. Palmeiras fans brought the flair and noise to their final Group A game against Inter Miami on Monday, where a late 2–2 comeback was roared on by their diehards who made the hosts feel like they were on foreign soil. But beneath the celebrations lurks a rivalry that is becoming one of South America's fiercest: Palmeiras v Botafogo. Though the two clubs hail from different Brazilian cities — Palmeiras from Sao Paulo, Botafogo from Rio — fate has thrown them together repeatedly over the past three years. It began when Palmeiras staged a dramatic surge to snatch the Brazilian league title from Botafogo two years ago, a collapse that stung deeply in Rio. The following season Botafogo got revenge, knocking Palmeiras out in the round of 16 of the Copa Libertadores before going all the way to win the title. Sunday's last-16 showdown in Philadelphia promises to be the fiercest yet and will add another chapter to what is rapidly becoming the defining duel of modern Brazilian football. 'REAL WORLD' For European clubs used to pristine stadiums and moments of silence, the raw fervour from South America has been a wake-up call. "I love when I see Botafogo, all the Brazilian teams, Argentinian teams, how they celebrate, how they are together, I love them," said Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola. "I like how all the games are tight, except one or two, and people are surprised, European teams lose. Welcome to the real world. Welcome to the real world my friends," he added. Bayern's Kompany echoed the sentiment. "I've had a long career ... that crowd was hostile in the best possible way ... Many fans would pay to watch that,' he said after his team beat Boca Juniors 2-1 last week. With the U.S., Canada and Mexico hosting the World Cup in 2026, South American fans are likely to become the beating heart of the tournament with their spontaneous, relentless energy. Their presence at the Club World Cup has turned the event from a corporate experiment into something electric and alive, and left their European counterparts with something to think about.
