"It's one thing after another" - BVB fights for group victory

Borussia Dortmund wants to reach the Club World Cup round of 16, ideally as group winners. That would be valuable for more than just their self-confidence.

The short trip to the airport has become almost routine by now. On Tuesday , Borussia Dortmund once again traveled from Florida to Cincinnati, a good 1,500 km away, for their final group match of the Club World Cup against Ulsan HD. With just one point, BVB has already secured their progress, but the favorites will want more.

"Of course, we're on the road a lot, and things are happening in quick succession. I know this tournament format as a player—I don't yet know it in this role," said sporting director Sebastian Kehl before the clash with the already eliminated South Koreans on Wednesday ( 9 p.m. in the Sportschau live ticker ): "But it's fun, and I believe that the anticipation, the excitement, and the atmosphere will increase even more during the tournament."

Although the management and the players constantly emphasize the importance of the Club World Cup, this isn't yet apparent on the pitch. The 0-0 draw in the opening match against Fluminense was fortunate, while the subsequent 4-3 victory against Mamelodi Sundowns was deserved, but wild.

The "only positive" was the result, said goalkeeper Gregor Kobel after the win against the South African champions. And now it's Ulsan, again in the sweltering heat of Cincinnati. "Another challenge, another unknown," said Kehl: "But we've mastered it quite well and hope to do the same on Wednesday."

At the same time, Fluminense will play Mamelodi in Miami. It's a long-distance duel for group victory, which would be important not only for their confidence but also for the rest of the tournament. Fluminense and BVB are level on points, with the Brazilians leading Group F on goal difference by one goal. Dortmund could advance as group winners or runners-up, or even be eliminated.

"We won't underestimate this opponent either," promised Kehl: "Ulsan is at the bottom of the table with zero points: They certainly want to say goodbye properly."

To avoid potentially being eliminated, Dortmund can't afford any slip-ups, and winning the group would have a special appeal. Dortmund would have an extra day's rest and would not play its round of 16 match until July 1 in Atlanta.

The rest of the tournament would then be less strenuous: Starting in the quarterfinals, the Bundesliga team would play permanently in East Rutherford, meaning they could leave their team base at Inter Miami. As group runners-up, the road leads to Charlotte on June 30th, followed by a quarterfinal in Orlando, and only from the semifinals onward would they face East Rutherford.

But all that is a thing of the future and not an issue now, Kehl assured: "We have every opportunity to advance on Wednesday – I'm firmly convinced of that." Nevertheless, BVB "needs to improve a bit: One or two situations had nothing to do with the weather; we need to handle them better as a team and individually," the sporting director emphasized.

A greater challenge awaits in the round of 16. They face a team from Group E, most likely either Champions League finalists Inter Milan or River Plate from Buenos Aires.

Our source :

• Sports Information Service

• WDR
• Bundesliga
• Borussia Dortmund
• football
• Club World Cup