Borussia Dortmund coach Niko Kovac won’t be expecting an easy game when his side faces Mamelodi Sundowns in their second Club World Cup encounter at the TQL Stadium on Saturday, 21 June.
The Bundesliga side kicked off their Group F campaign with a goalless draw with Campeonato Brasileiro Serie A side Fluminense as Sundowns recorded a 1-0 win over Korea’s Ulsan HD, with Iqraam Rayners netting the only goal of the game.
Kovac felt the pitch at the MetLife Stadium and humidity in New Jersey affected his side’s performance, but also conceded his side was facing a top team.
The former Wolfsburg, Monaco and Bayern Munich boss told DAZN: “We saw it was a tough game as we expected. Fluminense is a top team, very ball-possession based.
“They played very good. We had some difficulties, especially in the first-half. In the second half I would say it was better but overall it was a lucky point for us.
“The pitch isn’t so easy for us. I think the humidity also wasn’t so easy for all the players, although the Brazilians are more used to it.
“It was hard for us, we were running a lot, but overall we can live with a point.”
Dortmund and Sundowns will face each other at the TQL Stadium in Ohio where hot and humid weather is forecast for this weekend.
When recently pressed on his opinion of the Betway Premiership champions, the Croatian said on iDiski Times: “This is something new, a special moment for each of us, because we usually play European teams now you play three [teams] from three different continents, it’s something new and something nice to be honest.
“Nobody knows everything of each other as opponents but I think we have three different types of play, the Brazilian team is ball possession, a bit controlled football to keep the ball, then the Korean team is aggressive, fast and quick and Sundowns is more to the side of the Brazilian team [style].”