Del Piero Favors Monterrey Over Dortmund as Coach Torrent Urges Focus

Former Juventus great Alessandro Del Piero has predicted that CF Monterrey will defeat Borussia Dortmund in their FIFA Club World Cup quarter-final on 1 July. Speaking in a tournament preview, the Italian said he expects the Mexican side, popularly known as Rayados, to advance, surprising many observers who view the Bundesliga club as the favourite. Monterrey head coach Domènec Torrent welcomed the endorsement but cautioned his squad against complacency. “We appreciate his words, but we know who we are and on paper the favourite is Borussia Dortmund,” the Spaniard told reporters, adding that he hopes his players “have not heard” Del Piero’s remarks so they remain fully focused. The knockout match is scheduled for Tuesday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. The US National Weather Service has issued flood and severe-storm warnings for the area, but as of Monday evening organisers said the fixture will proceed as planned at 19:00 local time (20:00 Mexico City).