Borussia Dortmund head coach says Mamelodi Sundowns is a side that is ‘technically very well educated’ and their final Group F game against Fluminense will be ‘very tight’.
Dortmund were massive favourites going into the second round of games in the group, but were made to sweat, literally and figuratively for three points edging Sundowns 4-3 in a seven goal thriller in Cinccinati, Ohio on Saturday afternoon.
And Kovac admits the challenge was exactly what he said pre-match, which makes for a compelling final round of fixtures, as Ulsan are already eliminated, and now it’s three-horse race for a place in the last-16 of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup.
“I was not lying in the press conference yesterday, I said what I saw; Sundowns is a team that likes to play football – technically very well educated, you see the Portuguese coach, tends to play this game,” he said.
“It’s easy to say on paper we are the favourites, but you need to first play the game, we did that and we saw how hard it was and I’m convinced, the next game of Sundowns, will be also very tight.
“Fluminense is a good team but from my point of view you can also challenge them, chase them and let’s see what happens in this game.”
Kovac stated he didn’t for once think they needed to alter their defensive line, which was exploited on mulitple times by Tashreeq Matthews and Lucas Ribeiro Costa for his opening goal.
“For sure [we struggled with the high-line], the opponent is watching our games and they see where we maybe have weaknesses, but are used to playing a high line, it’s what we have done in the past,” Kovac explained.
“It makes no sense, changing what has made us succesful, we we knew that teams will try and play in behind, but that’s the reason we have a goalkeeper who is a sweeper keeper, so this is what we need and makes no sense to change our habits, our automatism.
“We must defend the depth a bit better, our body positions must be to our goal, but these are small details and we keep going because it makes us successful.”
