The pitfalls of early kick-off

An early start and a very experienced opponent: Borussia Dortmund starts the Club World Cup on Tuesday against Fluminense - and will initially voluntarily do without new signing Jobe Bellingham.

Matthias Dersch reports from the Club World Cup in New Jersey

Julian Brandt had to think for a moment when he was asked on Monday in the makeshift mixed zone of Metlife Stadium in New Jersey when he last played at noon. It wasn't in the E-Youth team, as the journalist who had traveled with him from Germany suspected, but in the U19 team. "Back then, even at 11 a.m.," the Borussia Dortmund midfielder clarified. But that was more than ten years ago, too.

Pasta at an unusual time?

The Club World Cup offers plenty of new, or at least unfamiliar, experiences for the participating teams and players. The early kickoff times, designed to accommodate the European TV market, are part of this. The earlier a game kicks off, the shorter the preparation time on matchday. Unlike the 3:30 p.m. Bundesliga games, the BVB players will skip lunch before their first group match against Fluminense. The necessary foundation for peak performance is laid at breakfast. For Brandt, who isn't a fan of bread and rolls, this means he has to find something else to replenish his carbohydrate stores—or he'll eat pasta at an unusual time.

"It's completely different when you play at 12 noon," confirms BVB coach Niko Kovac. Instead of sending the players back to their rooms after the activation or scheduling a final meeting, they head to the stadium almost immediately after breakfast on Tuesday. At least the temperatures are playing along. 20 degrees Celsius is forecast, with a thick blanket of clouds, but no rain. "We're quite happy that we have these decent conditions at least," says Kovac, who wants to lay the foundations for qualifying for the round of 16 in the first game.

However, the match against Fluminense, considered the strongest of the three group opponents, will not be a walkover. The 2023 Copa Libertadores winner is one of four Brazilian teams participating in the Club World Cup – and, according to coach Renato Gaucho, has set its sights on no fewer than seven wins in the USA. That would be tantamount to winning the title, which in turn would be a historic achievement.

The team's star player is the now 40-year-old central defender Thiago Silva, who once won the Champions League under Thomas Tuchel at Chelsea. The 44-year-old Fabio is in goal. Fluminense's team is generally a rather older one—but therefore also very experienced.

They like to slow down the game."

BVB coach Niko Kovac on Fluminense

"Fluminense likes to have the ball. They also like to slow down the game. That's the typical Brazilian style. In addition, they are very strong individually," says Kovac, who has intensively prepared his team for their opponents in recent days through video sessions. The 53-year-old expects a "tough opponent," but also a Dortmund team that knows "what it will take to beat Fluminense."

One player who could play a role will initially sit on the bench: According to Kovac, the starting eleven is still too early for new signing Jobe Bellingham . "One week isn't enough to internalize all of our processes and principles," said the BVB coach, who expressed his delight at the new signing's excellent physical condition, but also emphasized that the players from the previous Bundesliga season still bring a bonus.

"They have priority. But Jobe will get his minutes over the course of this tournament, that's quite clear." Perhaps Bellingham can at least give his teammates Brandt and Co. tips for the early kickoff time. After all, the Englishman's U-19 days aren't all that long ago.