Bulinews
·2 Juli 2025
Dortmund look ahead to Real Madrid clash: "We know we're the underdogs"

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Yahoo sportsBulinews
·2 Juli 2025
Borussia Dortmund sealed their place in the quarter-finals of the Club World Cup with a 2-1 win over Mexican champions Monterrey early Wednesday at 03:00 CEST.
The victory means BVB will now face European giants Real Madrid on Saturday in what promises to be a tough - but not impossible - challenge.
“We know we’re the underdogs. But this game still has to be played first,” said Borussia Dortmund coach Niko Kovač after the match, adding that he was especially pleased with the opening 45 minutes.
“The first half was our best in this tournament,” he said, before praising how his team “fought the win home” after the break.
However, if Dortmund are to have any chance of upsetting Real Madrid, there is at least one area they need to improve, as goalkeeper Gregor Kobel pointed out.
Monterrey managed to play the ball in behind Dortmund’s high defensive line several times, and allowing the Spanish giants that kind of space could prove fatal.
“We want to press high and put the opponent under pressure. But especially against a team like Real Madrid, who have so much speed in their ranks, we have to find a better balance. Otherwise, it will be dangerous,” Kobel warned.
Kovač agreed: “We had problems with the balls played behind our defense because we were too slow to adjust.”
BVB sporting director Sebastian Kehl praised the team for already exceeding their minimum target of reaching the last eight.
“The team more than deserves it. We’re now among the eight best teams in the world, and exciting games lie ahead. We know from the Champions League: from now on, anything can happen.”