“Hope my players didn’t hear what he said” - Club World Cup coach responds to soccer icon’s bold prediction

Italian soccer legend Alessandro Del Piero has thrown his support behind Monterrey to advance to the Club World Cup quarter-finals. But inside the Mexican team’s camp, the sentiment is one of gratitude mixed with realism - they know the real favorite in their round of 16 matchup is Borussia Dortmund.

Doménec Torrent, Monterrey’s head coach, praised Del Piero’s gesture but hopes his players didn’t catch wind of the prediction. The Spaniard emphasized the caliber of the opponent awaiting them.

“I hope my players didn’t hear what he said”

“Mr. Del Piero is a football icon, one of the great No. 10s, and he’s backing us,” Torrent said. “We appreciate it, but we’re not getting carried away. We know who we are, and we know who the favorite is. His words mean a lot, and we’re thankful for his confidence.

“We know exactly who we’re facing tomorrow - a team that’s played in countless European finals and lifted numerous German trophies. I just hope my players didn’t hear what he said, because what I want them to feel is that we have to fight for every ball, every minute, every second. That’s the only way we can compete.”

“We have our own weapons”

Torrent expressed satisfaction with his team’s performance in the group stage, where they held Inter Milan and River Plate to draws and secured a win over Urawa Red Diamonds. That run has given him confidence that Monterrey can hold their own - even if Dortmund is the stronger side on paper.

“This is soccer,” he said. “When it’s 11 versus 11, anything can happen. The gap between teams is narrowing across the board. The challenge for non-European clubs like ours is that it’s getting tougher - they have more time to train together, more continuity, and a higher level of competition. But we have our own weapons.

“We’re going to compete, that’s our mindset. They’re the superior team - no secret there - in terms of roster depth, budget, and experience at the highest level. But we’ve already shown we can rise to the occasion,” he concluded.

Borussia Dortmund vs Monterrey: when, where, how to watch?

Dortmund and Monterrey face off today, Tuesday July 1, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. Kick-off is scheduled for 9:00 p.m ET/6:00 p.m. PT.

Viewers in the United States can watch on DAZN USA, TNT USA, TUDN USA and UniMás.

Who will the winner face in the CWC quarter-finals?

Dortmund or Monterrey will meet either Real Madrid or Juventus in the Club World Cup quarter-finals. Madrid and Juve’s round-of-16 clash takes place earlier on Tuesday, at 3:00 p.m. ET/12 noon PT.

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