Niko Kovac on the start of the tournament: “We want to build on our performances from the Bundesliga” | OneFootball

Niko Kovac on the start of the tournament:“You can already see that the South Americans and Europeans will dominate this tournament. I‘ve already seen some good matches – PSG against Atletico Madrid, Palmeiras against Porto. You could see the intensity of the matches, the quality. The quality of the football is good, despite the timing of this Club World Cup.”

...the clash between South America and Europe: “It appears as though this tournament is perceived very differently in South America. The enthusiasm in Brazil, Argentina or even Mexico is currently much greater than in Germany or Europe. I personally think it’s a real highlight, and we want to approach it accordingly. I hope that the message also lands in Germany that this tournament has value, because it is important to compete with the best from other continents. I expect the South Americans to play a very strong role. There is an incredible amount of quality in these teams, and we will certainly see that tomorrow.”

...opponents Fluminense: “Brazilian teams, including club teams, are technically very strong. This team is very experienced. It is a Brazilian team that likes to have possession of the ball and slow the game down. Individually, they are very strong. We're expecting a tough match. I am convinced that my team knows exactly what is required to beat this top team.”

...the objectives for the tournament: “We are athletes; we want to compete and win every game. That’s what we’ve learned from a young age. Nobody comes here and doesn’t want to win. We're proud to be one of two German teams representing Germany, but also our black and yellow colours. We want to be successful and continue what we showed at the end of the Bundesliga season. We want to win as many games as possible, ideally seven.”

...the preparation for the match: “It’s something completely different to play at 12 noon. You have to get up very early, combine breakfast with lunch and then spend only a short time in your room. Then there’s a final meeting and it’s already time to head to the match.”

...new signing Jobe Bellingham: “We're all happy that he's now with us. He's completely fit. To get ahead of this now: He will not start tomorrow because the one week he has been with us is not enough to internalise all our processes and principles. Additionally, priority will be given to those who have played so well in our last Bundesliga matches. But he will certainly get his minutes during this tournament.”