Bayern to learn Club World Cup opponents Wednesday

08 October 2013 16:48

The draw for December's Club World Cup in Morocco will be held in Marrakech on Wednesday, where European champions Bayern Munich will find out their semi-final opponents.

Champions League winners Bayern and Copa Libertadores winners Atletico Mineiro from Brazil receive byes directly into the last four.

Three of their possible opponents are already known with New Zealanders Auckland City representing Oceania, Monterrey, third in last year's competition, of Mexico holding up CONCACAF's end while Raja Casablanca are the hosts' entry.

The African champions will not be known until mid-November with Egypt's Al-Ahly, fourth in last year's Club World Cup, taking on Coton Sport of Cameroon in one semi-final and the other pitting South Africans Orlando Pirates with Tunisia's Esperance.

The Asian Champions League is through to the final stage with South Koreans FC Seoul tackling Marcello Lippi's Guangzhou Evergrande of China in a two-legged clash that ends the day before the African showpiece.

Wednesday's draw will decide the quarter-final line-ups which will see Monterrey joined by the African and Asian champions, as well as the winner of the play-off between Raja and Auckland.

The draw will also decide which quarter-final winners will face each of Bayern and Ronaldinho's Mineiro.

The tournament begins with Raja-Auckland in Agadir on December 11 and ends with the final in Marrakech 10 days later.

Twice winners Corinthians of Brazil won last year's edition in Japan, beating Chelsea 1-0 in the final.

This year's is the first time the tournament is being held in Africa following previous editions in Brazil, Japan and the UAE.

Source: AFP