Club World Cup updates, odds: Fluminense shine vs. favored Dortmund

The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup is off and running, with four strong days of fun and drama already in the books. Let's get you caught up with what you missed and what's ahead today and tomorrow.

Check in with ESPN as we bring you the latest news and analysis, all the way up to the tournament final at MetLife Stadium on July 13.

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Some of the talk around the Club World Cup has been about the possibility of European teams sweeping all before them and turning the knockout rounds into the latter stages of the UEFA Champions League. But against Borussia Dortmund, Fluminense showed that such narratives might be wide of the mark.

The Brazilian side -- beaten Club World Cup finalists in 2023 -- were the better team on Tuesday at a rainy MetLife Stadium and were unfortunate to come away from MetLife Stadium in New Jersey with just a point after a 0-0 draw. Despite having less of the ball, Fluminense peppered eventual "Superior Player Award" winner Gregor Kobel with 14 shots, forcing five saves in a relentless performance.

Afterward, Dortmund boss Niko Kovac referenced the pitch and the humidity as reasons his players found it difficult. "The pitch isn't so easy for us. I think the humidity also wasn't so easy for all the players, although the Brazilians are more used to it," he said. "It was hard for us, we were running a lot, but overall we can live with a point."

In reality, Fluminense were just better and would have won but for a stunning double save from Kobel in the second half. After Dortmund failed to credibly clear a looping, outswinging corner, Kobel did brilliantly to get down low and parry Everaldo's curling shot from the edge of the box, recovering in time to spread out and block Nonato's follow-up shot from the rebound at close range.

Jobe Bellingham made his debut for Dortmund, putting in a breezy half-hour cameo as a second half substitute, but it was in many ways a fortunate escape for the Bundesliga side to emerge with a clean sheet and a draw ahead of arguably easier matches, with relative minnows Ulsan HD and Mamelodi Sundowns still to come in Group F.

One factor which maybe helped Fluminense is the timing of the tournament. They're 11 games into their domestic season, while Dortmund are coming off a tough campaign that saw them play 50 matches. It's perhaps no wonder that Fluminense looked fitter and fresher. -- Rob Dawson

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MIAMI -- Inter Miami will continue to navigate the Club World Cup group stage with a weakened roster as Yannick Bright, David Ruiz and Allen Obando trained separately from the group in the days leading up to the match against FC Porto in Atlanta. Bright and Ruiz failed to make the matchday roster for the team's inaugural Club World Cup game against Al Ahly, while Obando watched from the bench as Miami drew 0-0.

There is good news for head coach Javier Mascherano and Inter Miami fans, as Jordi Alba returned to training for the first time since suffering a hamstring injury in the MLS match against CF Montreal on May 28. The former Barcelona player left the pitch in the 24th minute of that game and has been absent since, leaving the backline vulnerable.

Mascherano will address the media Wednesday before kickoff at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on June 19 and confirm whether the player is ready to feature, but his return to the training ground bodes well. Alba's inclusion in the starting lineup would free Noah Allen to return to the center back position and partner with Maximiliano Falcón as the two have done countless times this year.

Lionel Messi, Luis Suárez and Sergio Busquets trained as normal with the team leading up to the second group-stage match, seeing no health-related issues. As the tournament progresses, the team's roster could get deeper despite the lack of signings made during the limited transfer window. -- Lizzy Becherano

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PHILADELPHIA -- It's a sign of how seriously Manchester City are taking this tournament that their schedule around games will closely match their preparation for Champions League fixtures.

Pep Guardiola likes his players to train at the CFA in Manchester in the morning the day before a European game. Players and staff will then usually travel later in the day after the session is finished. Guardiola and his staff have asked for the same schedule for the Club World Cup: City trained at their base at Lynn University in Boca Raton on Tuesday morning before a three-hour flight to Philadelphia in the afternoon ahead of their game against Wydad AC on Wednesday.

The only difference for City will be in their recovery. For Champions League games, players will usually stay over in the city the night of the game before traveling back to Manchester the following day. In the U.S., City have organized to return to Boca Raton immediately after each game. The idea is that the team hotel will be more comfortable for rest, recovery and relaxation rather than having the odd night in many different places. -- Dawson

PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. -- "This was a park before?!" Dean Huijsen sounded surprised. Real Madrid's base camp at The Gardens North County District Park, Palm Beach Gardens -- where the team is training for the first half of this Club World Cup -- now looks like an elite performance venue. The players work on two side-by-side football pitches -- built in accordance with FIFA standards -- with impeccable surfaces. The fields are flanked by temporary buildings, huge, tented pavilions housing a gym and other equipment. Squint, and the players could be back home in Valdebebas, Madrid, not a community park outside Palm Beach.

"They've made great training facilities out of it," defender Huijsen told journalists Tuesday. "It's Real Madrid, so it's the best of the best." Midfielder Dani Ceballos described it as "one of the best [training venues] we've had here in the United States." Security is tight. Local police help to control access, ensuring only accredited personnel get in. The site has previously hosted MLS clubs, and even international teams, but staff said they've never seen anything like the interest generated by Madrid. Each day, fans gather outside, hoping for a glimpse of the players.

The only downside is the distance. The site is half an hour from the team's hotel, the Four Seasons Resort Palm Beach, and over an hour from Hard Rock Stadium, where Madrid play Al Hilal. It's a journey coach Xabi Alonso had to make Tuesday, between morning training and giving his afternoon news conference at the stadium. "I'm excited," he said, reflecting on his impending debut as Madrid coach.

"It's good to train, and to talk, but the game will tell us a lot." -- Alex Kirkland

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ORLANDO, Fla. -- For those who enjoy random football, Tuesday's clash between Ulsan and Mamelodi Sundowns in Orlando was full of curious stories. From the South African fans creating a party atmosphere outside the stadium, to the delay in the start of the match due to weather conditions, the two teams delivered a full package for their supporters.

The Inter&Co Stadium was not that full. In fact, quite the opposite. Only 3,412 spectators were present at the venue, which has a maximum capacity of 25,000 people.

Still, the South African party is worth highlighting. Even with long hours of travel to the United States, Mamelodi Sundowns fans did not stop singing and dancing for a minute.

The songs were only interrupted by the match organizers just as the ball was about to roll. But for a fair reason. The threat of a storm caused the start of the game to be delayed by just over an hour, causing everyone to leave the stands.

On the field, the highlight was the bold South African team. The Pretorians were superior from start to finish and, thanks to a goal from Iqraam Rayners, won 1-0 to take the lead in Group F. -- Thiago D'Amaral

ATLANTA -- Chelsea's win over LAFC on Monday raised questions about the merits of the Club World Cup given that Atlanta's Mercedes-Benz Stadium was less than a third full, but it seems one of the tournament's idiosyncrasies has gone down well with the squad.

Dortmund has a wall in front of the net 🧱

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