Sebastian Kehl: “We've adapted – and now it begins” | OneFootball

Sebastian Kehl on the first training sessions:“The conditions are really good. We are preparing very intensively for this tournament. We were still suffering a little from jet lag yesterday, but we had prepared well for the time difference in the days leading up to the trip. The hotel is good, the training conditions are excellent and the team are really looking forward to getting started. We are all delighted to be kicking off ion Tuesday.”

... the challenges of the new format:“These are teams you don't face every day, teams you have to study intensively. We've done that. Then you have the climatic conditions and the time difference. But these are all things we're happy to take on because we've worked long and hard to be able to participate in this competition. It's been an exciting challenge to take on, not just for the players but also for the whole support team around them. That's why we prefer to talk about the opportunities that have opened up for us. We're now fully in the rhythm, we've adapted – and now it's time to get started.”

... the goals for the Club World Cup:“First of all, we need to get through the group stage, which is also a challenge. We have a few unknown opponents, but we're confident we can get through the group stage, and then we'll have to see what happens. We could then potentially face Inter Milan in the round of 16. But we don't want to look too far ahead; we'll try to get off to a good start on Tuesday. It's 12 noon, and Fluminense will be a challenging opponent who play a completely different style of football, very Brazilian. We want to get off to a good start in this tournament. What happens after that depends a bit on luck, how we feel on the day and injuries. But we feel well prepared.”

... preparing for the opposition:“We’ve gathered information and watched videos. Of course, we also have a few scouts on site who are providing us with information, both individually and in terms of group tactics. We’ve done our homework. Nevertheless, we’ll focus on our game. If we perform to our potential and play with the intensity we’re capable of, we’ll have a good chance of winning on Tuesday.”

... the BVB players:“Our boys are really up for it, they're all curious and watched the opening game yesterday. I was there myself to get a feel for the atmosphere. In a tournament like this, it's ultimately about winning games, challenging yourself and competing against other nations and other teams. That's the hunger that every professional athlete has. We try to bring that out. That's exactly what we exemplify. Everyone is motivated. It's the first time this tournament has been held in this format, and we have the chance to make history.”

... New signing Jobe Bellingham:“He's obviously been in full swing, having played a bit longer than others. He's a good lad, very open, but of course he also has the right mentality, discipline and professionalism. He made his mark in training in his first few days. So we're delighted that it all worked out before the Club World Cup because he'll be a great addition to the team. Not just for this tournament, but hopefully for the next few years too.”

All information about the Club World Cup (tickets, all matches live and free of charge on DAZN) can be found at bvb.de/cwc. The BVB app (for download) is also the mobile matchday companion from the USA for all BVB fans.