Bellingham bombarded the turf + Kovac hid the substitute: What did the European giants encounter in the Club World Cup?

European clubs face severe challenges in this Club World Cup. In the group stage, only Manchester City scored 9 points. Meanwhile, only Porto, Red Bull Salzburg and Atletico Madrid failed to advance to the top 16.

Multiple dilemmas drag down the performance of European giants: Environmental adaptation problems

Time difference, climate differences, especially extreme high temperatures, have seriously affected the quality of European giants' games. After a long and intense season, the team had to play more games in a far-reaching environment. Many coaches and players were frustrated by the preparations for the Club World Cup, especially sharp criticism of the venue conditions.

Real Madrid midfielder Bellingham bluntly said: "To be honest, the conditions here are not very good. The turf can barely be used, but the ball can hardly bounce, which puts a lot of pressure on the knees. I hope someone will notice this before next year's World Cup. We need to protect the players and also contribute wonderful games to the fans."

Chelsea coach Maresca admitted at the press conference: "Because of the weather, it is almost impossible to conduct normal training. We can only try our best to preserve our physical strength for the game."

The extreme response measures of European teams are: Dortmund coach Kovac even chose to leave some substitutes indoors to avoid overdrawing during the game.

South American strong rivals blocked

Real Madrid and Inter Milan were tied in the first game, while Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain both lost in the second round, both losing to the strong Brazilian opponents.

Brazilian coach Renato Peva warned: "Framengo, Botafogo, Palmeiras and Fruminense may not have as much financial resources as European opponents, but they have proven to be enough to compete on the court. The soccer cemetery is full of so-called 'winning favorites'."

Insufficient motivation and fatigue

The long season has not given players and teams additional motivation to take the game seriously, except for money. Every European club participating in the competition has received generous appearance bonuses, but after experiencing fierce battles between the Champions League and the domestic league, many players are undoubtedly more eager to take a vacation. The bad weather disrupted the situation

Strong thunderstorms caused the star-studded event to be interrupted many times. In Orlando, Benfica's game against Oakland City was delayed by weather alerts for nearly two hours. Other competitions in cities such as Orlando and Cincinnati were also forced to be interrupted according to FIFA safety protocols (the game was suspended if lightning was detected within 10 miles).

Expedition fans are rare

European teams still face the problem of lack of fan support in the game. The high ticket prices and concerns about domestic US policies have made many fans reluctant to go to the United States to watch the game.

Despite the difficulties, European teams are still moving forward, and nine teams have successfully advanced to the top 16. So, what do you think is the biggest challenge for European clubs in this World Club Cup?