Club World Cup live ticker: FC Bayern battles Paris Saint-Germain for semi-finals

A scorching 33 degrees outside, a pleasant 22 inside: At least the constant weather with extreme heat, high humidity, and thunderstorms won't play a role in the quarterfinal clash between FC Bayern and Champions League heroes Paris Saint-Germain. And thus, it can't serve as an excuse for an early World Cup elimination.

The futuristic, air-conditioned Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, with its retractable roof, opens on Saturday at noon local time (6:00 p.m. CEST/ Sat.1 and Dazn ), providing ideal conditions for a major quarterfinal showdown and a football spectacle. "I didn't know that," admitted a stunned Leon Goretzka when he learned about the cooled arena in Georgia after the 4-2 round of 16 victory against Flamengo in the Miami heat .

"That sounds good," the German international added with a laugh. His midfield game, in particular, is heavily influenced by physicality. "With the conditions here in the USA, it feels like a completely different sport," Goretzka said. Ultimately, the Club World Champion will be "whoever best adapts to the conditions."

However, the better football team is likely to win the cool knockout duel in the 1996 Olympic city. And Bayern want to be that team, even if they are – a rare occurrence – underdogs against the PSG team. "We're up against the best team in Europe," said coach Vincent Kompany.

In November 2024, Bayern defeated Paris Saint-Germain 1-0 in Munich in the Champions League league phase. But what does that mean for the reunion in America? Nothing. Another victory and a place in the semifinals against Borussia Dortmund or Real Madrid, who will conclude Super Saturday a few hours later (10 p.m./Sat.1 and Dazn) in the final stadium just outside New York, would be more than a respectable achievement for Bayern and Kompany.