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Niko Kovac expects Europe and South America to play key role at Club World Cup
The action continues today at the FIFA Club World Cup as Borussia Dortmund get their campaign underway with the Group F opener against Fluminense at MetLife Stadium.
The Germans finished their domestic season strongly, securing qualification for next year's Champions League, and could be a dark horse for the tournament in the United States.
Their opener against the Brazilians presents another clash between Europe and South America, following two we've already seen so far in the competition and boss Niko Kovac believes it will be those two continents that define this year's Club World Cup.
Speaking to the media ahead of the game, Kovac praised the South American teams and shared his excitement for his club's involvement.
He said, "You can already see that South American and European teams will shape the course of this tournament. I’ve already seen some great matches — PSG vs. Atletico Madrid, Palmeiras vs. Porto.
"You can tell how intense these games are and the level of quality on display. Despite the timing of the Club World Cup, the level of football is very high.
"It feels like South America approaches this tournament very differently. The excitement in Brazil, Argentina, or Mexico is much greater than in Germany or Europe in general. Personally, I think this is a really important event, and we want to approach it the right way.
"I hope that Germany will also come to appreciate the value of this competition because it’s vital to compete with the best teams from other continents. I expect South American sides to play a very important role. These teams have incredible quality, and we will definitely see that.
After Fluminese, Dortmund face games against Mamelodi Sundowns and Ulsan HD and fancied to top the group and proceed to the next round.
Kovac expects the same and has set his sights on only one goal - winning the tournament.
Adding, "Our goal? We are athletes, and we want to fight and win every match. We were raised with that mindset from childhood. Nobody came here to lose. We’re proud to be one of two German teams representing our country and our black-and-yellow colors.
"We want to perform well and carry on the momentum we had in the Bundesliga at the end of the season. Our mission is to win as many games as possible — ideally, all seven."
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