Bayern braces for Guangzhou battle
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E-mail Shanghai Daily, December 16, 2013
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Guardiola's side looking to cap a historic season with one last trophy at the Club World Cup. |
Led by its decorated coach Pep Guardiola, Bayern Munich heads to Morocco looking to cap a historic season with one last trophy at the Club World Cup.
Ronaldinho, the player Guardiola cast out while in charge at Barcelona, and his Atletico Mineiro team could yet play the spoiler, however.
Champions League winner Bayern must first get past Asian champion Guangzhou Evergrande in Tuesday's semifinal to set up a final with Copa Libertadores winner Atletico Mineiro, which faces local favorite Raja Casablanca a day later.
One of Guardiola's first decisions after taking over Barcelona in 2008-'09 was to sell Ronaldinho. The Catalan coach's decision proved wise with a record-setting six major trophies won over his first season in charge.
That sixth triumph was the Club World Cup, and now Guardiola has a chance to close Bayern's own record-breaking campaign with its fifth trophy to add to the Champions League, Bundesliga, German Cup, and UEFA Super Cup titles.
Bayern's first test at Agadir Stadium is against Chinese champion Guangzhou, led by former Italy coach Marcelo Lippi, after it beat African champion al-Ahly of Egypt 2-0 on Saturday.
Lippi, who led Italy to its World Cup victory in 2006, said the club competition poses a different set of challenges.
"The World Cup is a competition that is another level, so I cannot compare these two events. We all know that Bayern Munich is probably the best team in the world. You can play them 100 times and lose 99 times, but there is that one match you can win so you never know."
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