Gittens will miss the final group match of the Club World Cup
BVB must brave the heat again against Ulsan
For weeks, there has been speculation about Jamie Gittens' move to Chelsea. In the final group match of the Club World Cup, Dortmund will have the chance to test their skills without him. The Englishman is out due to illness.
Jamie Gittens will not be playing for BVB against Ulsan. IMAGO/HMB-Media
Matthias Dersch reports from Cincinnati
The weather will once again be a topic of discussion for Borussia Dortmund's third Club World Cup group match. At the Cincinnati venue, the thermometer climbed above 30 degrees Celsius again on Tuesday, the day before the match against Ulsan HD of South Korea. Even higher temperatures are forecast for match day, and thunderstorms are also possible – something that has already led to one or two game delays elsewhere in this tournament.
At least: Unlike the wild 4:3 at the same venue against Mamelodi Sundowns from South Africa, this time the game will not start until 3 p.m. - three hours later than last Saturday and the Tuesday before against the Brazilian team Fluminense (0:0, New Jersey).
With four points from their first two matches, coach Niko Kovac's team is in a relatively comfortable position heading into the group final. A win or a draw would guarantee BVB a place in the round of 16; a loss would depend on the margin of victory and the outcome of the parallel match between Fluminense and Mamelodi Sundowns.
However, no one at BVB wants to dwell on this scenario too much in advance. Even though the start to the tournament was mediocre, they expect a significant improvement in performance as the team completes more matches. "Rhythm and freshness" are especially important for the European teams at the Club World Cup, which takes place in the middle of summer, said sporting director Sebastian Kehl after the particularly weak defensive performance against Sundowns.
Deep block and quick counterattacksThis is precisely why Kovac isn't planning a complete rotation. "Generally, I'm a fan of making frequent substitutions, especially in temperatures like these. But we're not done yet; we have to finish one game before we tackle the next," said the BVB coach, who expects an opponent who wants to leave the tournament on a positive note. "They don't have a point yet. But the South Koreans are a proud people; they certainly want to put in the best possible performance."
In terms of football, the challenges this time will likely be different than against the strong Sundowns. The South Koreans typically operate from a deep block, play with up to six players in the back line, and rely on quick counterattacks when going forward. "We have to be extremely careful," Kovac warns his players, although he doesn't expect "a high-speed game."
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The 53-year-old will have to do without Jamie Gittens . The Englishman, who has been linked with a move to Chelsea, is ill, according to Kovac's statement. His absence is apparently not related to the transfer speculation surrounding him, and the winger didn't even fly to Cincinnati.
Giovanni Reyna was also absent recently due to a mild cold, presumably caused by the constant switching between air-conditioned rooms and the heat of the outdoor area. The American, however, remains an option for the squad. Marcel Sabitzer , who has been forced to cut back in recent days due to knee problems, is still awaiting a final check.
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