They’ve brought that momentum with them to the United States.
Dortmund have won nine of their last 10 matches—drawing the other against potential semifinal opponent Bayern Munich—and Kovac deserves major credit for this remarkable resurgence.
Winners of the Intercontinental Cup in 1997 as European champions, the Ruhr-based side now set their sights on a first-ever Club World Cup title.
First, however, they must get past trophy-laden Real Madrid.
Madrid coach Xabi Alonso is no stranger to Dortmund, having faced them several times during his tenure at Bayer Leverkusen. That familiarity may prompt a more cautious tactical approach.
While in the U.S., the Basque coach has transitioned from a 4-3-3 setup to his preferred 3-5-2 formation, but it remains to be seen which system he will deploy this weekend.
Up front, a tough decision awaits. La Liga’s Pichichi winner, Kylian Mbappe, returned from a bout of gastroenteritis to make a substitute appearance against Juventus. Meanwhile, his stand-in Gonzalo Garcia has been a breakout star, already involved in four goals in the tournament.
On the other side, former Dortmund midfielder Jude Bellingham will once again face his old club—though not alongside his younger brother.
The England international made 132 appearances for BVB before moving to Madrid and has since provided two assists in two matches against his former side.
The much-anticipated sibling showdown will not take place, as Jobe Bellingham is suspended after picking up a second yellow card of the tournament against Monterrey.
In his absence, Marcel Sabitzer or Julian Brandt are likely to fill the gap left by the 19-year-old, who was recently signed from Sunderland.
Up front, Serhou Guirassy will spearhead the attack, boasting an impressive 64 goals in 101 Bundesliga appearances—three of which have come in this tournament.
Dortmund will be without Emre Can, Salih Ozcan, and Nico Schlotterbeck due to injuries, while Real Madrid will also miss four players: Eduardo Camavinga, David Alaba, Endrick, and Ferland Mendy.
Projected Real Madrid lineup:
Courtois; Rudiger, Tchouameni, Huijsen; Alexander-Arnold, Bellingham, Valverde, Guler, Garcia; Mbappe, Vinicius
Projected Borussia Dortmund lineup:
Kobel; Sule, Anton, Bensebaini; Ryerson, Nmecha, Gross, Svensson; Sabitzer, Adeyemi; Guirassy