Bruno Lage sets out aims for group ahead of Benfica's opening clash with Boca Juniors

Group C opened with a record-breaking win for Bayern Munich on Sunday and tonight it's the turn of the other two teams in the pool as Boca Juniors take on Benfica.

With Bayern Munich already flexing their muscles as the favourites to progress to the knockout stage, this clash between the Portuguese side and their Argentine opponents is seen as key to who could join the Germans in the last 16. 

However, Benfica coach Bruno Lage has echoed that notion, acknowledging the importance of his side's opening game. 

Speaking to the media ahead of the meeting with Boca in Miami, the former Wolves coach set out his plan and confirmed that the club's talisman will start. 

He said: "It's an important game. We're in a short competition, so we have to approach it the same way. 

"There are 3 games, similar to what happens in a World Cup, and we know how important it is to win points. This game is very important, we know the opponent, we had the opportunity to analyse Boca and also some of the current coach's teams. That's the most important thing, for us to be prepared to win the 3 points.

"I will repeat what I said before, because the question has already been asked. It is a short competition, 3 games, 9 points is the maximum possible, so today's 3 points are very important.

"That is how we are approaching the game. We know that we are going to play against a great team, but Boca also knows that they are going to play against a great team.

"We have Argentine players who have won the World Cup, they also know Boca very well, and they have already given us valuable information. And I can tell you that Di María starts the game." 

One of the fascinating aspects of the tournament is seeing continents clash in games that fans rarely see. However, one factor that may not have been taken into consideration are the conditions in the States. 

Lage is of the opinion that the weather could really make an impact on the different sides in the competition when finding out which continent is the best. 

Adding "This is the question you have been discussing for 20 or 30 years and I don't know how to answer it today. In a month's time, we will know how to answer it. I have had experiences on different continents, and what I can tell you is that the weather conditions change the game.

"The game becomes different. It's the same football, it's the same game, there's the ball, there's the grass, there are the goals, it's 11 against 11, but the weather conditions and the time of the game change the game. It will be very interesting to follow, because there are so many teams, so many cultures.

"It's not a question of the [national] team, because even we have the hot Argentine blood, we also have the hot Turkish blood. So it will be very interesting to see that during the competition. So it will be a very interesting game because of that."

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