Brazilian side and 2023 Copa Libertadores winners Fluminense meet German giants Borussia Dortmund in Group F of the Club World Cup.

Fluminense will get their chance to showcase their talent on the big stage, and they will hope their current form will be helpful in this Club World Cup. They are currently sixth in the Brasileiro and in a much better position than the previous season when they finished 13th in the league.

The Brazilian giants are also in a good run of form in front of goal, having netted ten goals in their last four games. Coming into the CWC, they are not here for the first time, having lost the 2023 final to Manchester City with a 4-0 scoreline then. Renato Gaucho will be desperate to have a good enough tournament in the US and will hope his players hit top gear, especially in their efforts to qualify for the next round.

Meanwhile, Borussia Dortmund come into this tournament in the best vein of form that saw them finish fourth in the Bundesliga. While the larger expectations from the Bundesliga bigwigs always see them challenge for the title, this season under Nuri Sahin was different as he was sacked with the team were eleventh in the league.

The big credit goes to Niko Kovac, who ensured there was a big turnaround in form to end the season in fourth, as well as winning each of their last six games in the league. He will want to make a big impact in the Club World Cup and will hope to have a fantastic start much like their German rivals Bayern Munich, who thrashed Auckland City by a 10-0 scoreline on Sunday.

While Fluminense are a far better side than that, this game between the German and Brazilian clubs promises a competitive match-up. Dortmund will want to at least reach the knockout rounds, as they do have the quality to go deep into the tournament if the players hit the right vein of form.

Team News & Tactics

Fluminense

The big-name presence of Thiago Silva will be something to watch out for, as the Brazilian veteran will lead Fluminense against Borussia Dortmund alongside defensive partner Juan Freytes. There are some key names like Otavio missing from action, while others like Yeferson Soteldo, Agustin Canobbio, Keno and Facundo Bernal are also missing out.

Gaucho will continue to prefer a 4-3-3 format, with Thiago Santos set to play at the base of the midfield for Fluminense. Nonato and Matheus Martinelli are the other midfielders likely to feature in the no. 8 roles on either side of Santos.

Jhon Arias is another well-known Fluminense attacker, who will be one of the main features of their attacking three, with the winger occupying his place on the right flank. Kevin Serna will play from the left, while Everaldo will lead the line for the Brazilian side.

Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Fabio; Xavier, Silva, Freytes, Rene; Nonato, Santos, Martinelli; Arias, Everaldo, Serna

Borussia Dortmund

Niko Kovac will continue with a back three, though he must make do without key defender Nico Schlotterbeck who is likely to miss this tournament altogether. Salih Ozcan, Soumaila Coulibaly, and midfielder Emre Can are the other absentees.

Kovac might have to rely on Felix Nmecha and Marcel Sabitzer for most parts of this tournament to marshall his midfield, with Julian Ryerson and Daniel Svensson the main options in those wing-back roles.

Niklas Sule, Waldemar Anton, and Ramy Bensebaini are the expected defenders at the back. Julian Brandt will partner with Karim Adeyemi in the attacking third, with key striker Serhou Guirassy leading the line for Borussia Dortmund against Fluminense.

Probable Lineup (4-3-2-1): Kobel; Sule, Anton, Bensebaini; Ryerson, Sabitzer, Nmecha, Svensson; Adeyemi, Brandt; Guirassy

Key Stats

• Fluminense are unbeaten in their last seven games.
• Fluminense have scored ten goals in their last four games.
• Borussia Dortmund are on a six-game winning streak.
• Borussia Dortmund have scored 20 goals in their last six games.

Player to Watch

Serhou Guirassy

Embed from Getty Images

The key striker for Borussia Dortmund will be an important figure at the Club World Cup for Niko Kovac’s side, as they will rely on his goalscoring prowess to ensure progression. This is another big chance for Dortmund to make their mark in a big tournament with the striker key to their success.

Guirassy has been a tremendous signing for Borussia Dortmund, and he played a key role in their turnaround to the season and finishing fourth. With the team as well as the striker in top form heading to the US, he will be the main man to watch out for, especially for the Fluminense defenders.

Prediction

Fluminense 2-3 Borussia Dortmund

There is an element of the unknown when predicting the results of teams that are not within the European circuit. Yet, going by how Fluminense have performed, they seem like an exciting outfit that has the quality to hurt any top team in the world, or at the very least put in a competitive performance.

Meanwhile, Borussia Dortmund will be seen as the slight favourite even though both they and Fluminense are in a similar vein of form. Niko Kovac has figured out his system with Dortmund well, which could see them take three points, although they tend to concede goals regularly, something the Brazilian side will do against the Bundesliga giants.