Borussia Dortmund head coach Niko Kovac has shared his thoughts on what he is expecting when his side meets Mamelodi Sundowns on Saturday.
Sundowns will meet the eight-time Bundesliga champions in their FIFA Club World Cup Group F match at TQL Stadium, Cincinnati.
The Betway Premiership champions come into the match as group leaders after the 1-0 win over Ulsan HD of South Korea on Wednesday. Dortmund, on the other hand, were held to a 0-0 draw by Brazilian side Fluminense.
BORUSSIA DORTMUND EXPECTING TOUGH COMPETITION FROM MASANDAWANA
Addressing the media during the post-match of their game against Fluminense, Kovac said he was expecting a tough Sundowns side.
“As I said at the beginning of the press conference, I think my team and Fluminense are favourites. But in football, you must first play the games and show that you are favourites,” said Kovac.
WHAT NIKO KOVAC EXPECTS FROM MAMELODI SUNDOWNS ON SATURDAY
“We have some impressions and we know that Sundowns played in the [CAF] Champions League final a few weeks ago. So they are a tough opponent as you saw in the other games.
“You must work very hard against African teams. They are strong and powerful. So, for that, we need to refresh our minds and to be fully prepared because the next games are very important for us.”
Sundowns have a former Dortmund winger on their side in Tashreeq Matthews.
Matthews joined Dortmund in 2018 at the age of 18 before being loaned to Utrecht [Netherlands] and Helsingborg [Sweden].
He played two Youth League games for Dortmund before moving to Sweden permanently, first to Varberg and then to Sirius.
A win for Mamelodi Sundowns against the German giants could secure them a place in the knockout stages of the competition.
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