Borussia Dortmund are embracing their role as the underdogs ahead of their Club World Cup quarter-final clash with Real Madrid, as stated by coach Niko Kovac on Friday. The Bundesliga outfit is keen to exact revenge for their Champions League final loss from last year.
Currently enjoying an impressive 11-match unbeaten streak, Dortmund face a daunting challenge against the LaLiga giants in the sweltering heat of East Rutherford, New Jersey, this Saturday. Kovac anticipates a full stadium buzzing with energy.
The players “understand precisely what it means to face Real Madrid tomorrow”, he conveyed to reporters at MetLife Stadium.
“We’re expecting a significant turnout, especially in favour of Real Madrid. While we’re entering as the underdogs, we also want to put forth our best performance, and hopefully – this is our belief – we can progress to the next round.”
Real Madrid have had the upper hand against Dortmund in their last six encounters, winning four in a row, including a 2-0 triumph in the Champions League final last year.
The German side is optimistic about reversing their fortunes following a resurgence since Kovac took charge in February. The Croatian manager expressed his team is brimming with confidence going into the match against Real Madrid.
“We need to have a high level of self-confidence when facing Real Madrid,” he noted.
“We wrapped up the season in fourth place in the Bundesliga, but it was a very tight finish, and we faced some challenging matches.”
“We played against strong opponents, and the players demonstrated their ability to compete with all of them. This belief in my players is a significant reason for my confidence – they know exactly what is needed to perform at the highest level tomorrow.”
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Compiled by SportArena.com.au.
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