Niklas Sule blasts 'such stupid excuses' despite 'pretty terrible' pitch as Borussia Dortmund stumble in underwhelming Club World Cup opener against Fluminense

The Dortmund defender didn’t sugarcoat the team's stalemate opener against Fluminense in the Club World Cup, saying the performance was “far too little” despite the poor pitch at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. Notably, Sule was not the only player who criticised the conditions of the pitch. Goalkeeper Gregor Kobel also voiced his concerns, claiming the ball wasn’t bouncing the way it usually does.

After a year of build-up, FIFA’s revamped Club World Cup has struggled to draw crowds, forcing the organisers to slash ticket prices to boost attendance. Besides the pitch conditions, several teams have voiced frustration over midday kick-offs in the hot U.S. summer. Earlier, PSG manager Luis Enrique blasted FIFA over the scheduling, calling the conditions unfit for elite-level football.

"The time slot is great for European audiences, but the teams are suffering. In terms of play, it's impossible to perform at a very high level for 90 minutes,” Enrique said after PSG's 4-0 win over Atletico Madrid.

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Talking to the reporters after the game, Sule said: “We were very, very weak with the ball. We were aiming for much better. No excuses about the conditions, even though the pitch was pretty terrible. The ball didn't even bounce properly. But those are all such stupid excuses. It was simply far too little today. We have to blame ourselves for that to some extent. I still think everyone is up for this challenge. We simply have to bring more to the table for the second game and work on it. We've shown over the last month or two that we're capable of playing better football – but that doesn't count here anymore."

Dortmund now turn their attention to their next Group F clash against Mamelodi Sundowns in Cincinnati on Saturday, June 21. Notably, this will be a daytime fixture, meaning players will once again have to contend with the hot weather. However, they will be hoping the pitch conditions at least work in their favour this time.