FIFA Club World Cup: Dortmund coach vents out frustrations after Real Madrid loss
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Reading Time: 2min | Mon. 07.07.25. | 08:29
Kovac also had an issue with the weather conditions the two teams endured, pointing out that it affected their ability to give their best
The newly revamped FIFA Club World Cup is being played in some of the best venues and pristine pitches, but it seems the quality is just not enough.
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All stadia here in the United States of America (USA) are state-of-the-art facilities that Kenyan players can only dream of playing on.
However, despite these facilities, some visiting managers are still not satisfied with some conditions here, perhaps proof of the high standards in their local leagues back home.
Borussia Dortmund manager Niko Kovac was particularly unhappy about the state of the grass at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
Speaking after his side was edged out by Real Madrid in the quarter-finals of the FIFA Club World Cup, Kovac said the state of the playing surface had made it difficult for his players to control the ball efficiently.
“This is not the kind of grass we are used to in the Bundesliga. Ours is high-speed football, but when the grass is dry, the ball is not able to move faster. It sticks,” he said in a post-match interview.
He added, “Looks like the watering was not good enough, and it kept interfering with the speed of the ball.”
Kovac also had an issue with the weather conditions the two teams endured, pointing out that it affected their ability to give their best.
He asked the organisers of the next edition of the FIFA Club World Cup to consider pushing the kick-off times so that players can be in their best condition.
The match, which kicked off at 4 pm local time (USA), was played under sweltering heat.
“This is the second time we are playing at such a time, and it affected the intensity of play for both sides.
I am sure even fans want to see attractive and intensive matches, which unfortunately is not possible to have in such conditions,” he said.
MetLife Stadium is hosting eight FIFA Club World Cup matches, including the two semi-finals and the final on Sunday, 13 July.
It will also host the final of next year’s men's FIFA World Cup that will be co-hosted by the USA, Canada and Mexico.
