The Matchday 1 encounter of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup between Fluminense (Brazil) and Borussia Dortmund (Germany) will take place on June 17 at the MetLife Stadium in New York, USA. Fluminense vs. Borussia Dortmund: prediction and betting odds, statistics.
Fluminense
Fluminense earned an invitation to the Club World Cup after winning their first Copa Libertadores title in 2023. However, they did not qualify for the current edition of South America's most prestigious tournament. In their national league, Renato Gaúcho's side occupies sixth place. Notably, the team participated in the previous Club World Cup and lost in the final to Manchester City. Heading into this match, Fluminense is on a five-game unbeaten streak in official competitions (4 wins, 1 draw).
The team's most valuable player is forward John Arias, who is among the top assist providers in this Serie A season.
- The club has won 5 of their last 7 matches in the Copa Libertadores (2 losses).
- They have conceded at least one goal in 5 of their last 6 matches in South America's premier tournament.
- Fluminense has scored in 16 of their last 18 Copa Libertadores matches.
Predicted lineup for Fluminense (4-3-3)
Fabio – Juan Pablo Freitas, Rene, Samuel Xavier, Thiago Silva – Martinelli, Nonato, Thiago Santos – Everaldo, Kevin Serna, John Arias.
Borussia Dortmund
Borussia Dortmund received an invitation to the Club World Cup based on their UEFA ranking, marking their debut in this tournament. Last season's Champions League finalists reached the quarter-finals of this prestigious European competition. In the Bundesliga, Borussia spent a significant time mid-table, but a strong run of 7 wins in their last 8 league matches propelled Niko Kovac's men to finish fourth.
Forward Serhou Guirassy shared the top scorer title in the recent Champions League campaign with Raphinha. His 13 goals set a record for African players in the tournament. Notably, Job Bellingham was one of the club's first new signings.
- Dortmund has avoided defeat in 6 of their last 7 Champions League matches (4 wins, 2 draws).
- At least three goals were scored in 8 of Borussia's last 10 Champions League games.
- In 7 of their last 9 matches in this tournament, the team conceded at least one goal.
Predicted lineup for Borussia Dortmund (4-5-1)
Gregor Kobel – Daniel Svensson, Ramy Bensebaini, Niklas Süle, Waldemar Anton – Julian Ryerson, Karim Adeyemi, Felix Nmecha, Pascal Gross, Julian Brandt – Serhou Guirassy.
Referee
Ilgiz Tantashev (Uzbekistan)
Matches – 7 (International matches, 2024/25);
Yellow cards shown (including second yellows) – 29;
Average yellow cards per match – 4.1;
Red cards shown – 2;
Average fouls per match – 19;
Penalties – 43%.
Match Prediction: Fluminense vs. Borussia Dortmund
The upcoming match promises to be high-scoring. Both teams exhibit strong offensive capabilities but struggle defensively. In the current Serie A season, only three clubs have scored more than Fluminense, while among the top half of the Brazilian league table, only Corinthians have conceded more. Even during their triumphant Copa Libertadores campaign, the Brazilians kept a clean sheet in only three of 13 matches.
Dortmund ranked third in terms of scoring in the 2024/25 Bundesliga, with only Freiburg having a worse defensive record among the European competition zone teams. In the recent Champions League campaign, the Germans were not defensively solid, conceding in 7 of their last 9 matches. However, their attacking prowess was unquestionable, as Borussia ranked among the top five in goals scored in the tournament.
My prediction: Total over 2.5 goals
