The knockout stages of the FIFA Club World Cup promise to bring excitement with each match. But Sunday’s tie between Bayern München and Flamengo will have a lot of eyes on it for different reasons.
After the conclusion of the Bundesliga season, Bayern legend Thomas Müller announced the Club World Cup would be his last appearance with the club. After 15 years, 13 Bundesliga titles, and two UEFA Champions League trophies, Müller is moving on. It’s unclear if he will retire or join a new club, but he will depart the only team he’s ever known one way or another. A defeat at the hands of Flamengo would mark the end of his Bayern career.
Will Bayern push through and delay Müller’s goodbye? Or will the Brazilian side send them home early?
Bayern München is favored at -145 on the moneyline for this contest on DraftKings Sportsbook. Let’s dig into a prediction, pick and best bet for this match.
Prediction for Flamengo vs. Bayern München
Bayern, one of the best clubs in Europe, should be a big favorite in this one. But Flamengo has shown a lot of scrappiness in this tournament. They managed a victory against Chelsea in the group stage, propelling them into the knockout rounds. Flamengo may not have the name recognition, but they have quality.
It hasn’t been a dominant run for Bayern in the group stage. After stomping the New Zealand side Auckland FC, they snuck past Argentinian club Boca Juniors before losing to Benfica. DraftKings Sportsbook oddsmakers are noticing that they’ve played down to the level of their competition too often. This one could end up a lot closer than the casual fan would assume.
Pick for Flamengo vs. Bayern München
Flamengo Moneyline (+390)
Why not take the stab in this one? Flamengo has shown a lot of competitive spirit in this tournament. Bayern, despite playing world-class players, is not taking care of business in a convincing fashion.
I’m going for the upset. I don’t want to see Müller go out sad, but Bayern are not playing like a club that is motivated to win this tournament. Instead, they play like they want to enjoy some time off before preseason. I’ll take the side with more to prove and who has shown they can pull upsets in this Club World Cup.
