Jobe Bellingham will not be available for Borussia Dortmund’s upcoming Club World Cup quarter-final match against Real Madrid, where he could have faced his brother Jude. The 19-year-old midfielder was shown a yellow card during the first half for a challenge on Nelson Deossa. Since he had already received a booking earlier in the competition during the group stage match against Ulsan HD, he now faces a one-match suspension.
Tournament regulations state that players accumulating two cautions in separate matches are handed a one-game suspension. These disciplinary records are only cleared after the quarter-final round, meaning Bellingham’s second yellow leaves him unavailable for the next game. Dortmund manager Niko Kovac shared that the young player seemed unaware of the suspension rules when he came off at half-time. “He looked surprised,” said Kovac. “He’s still learning, just like his brother. They’ll likely meet again—perhaps in the Champions League next season or beyond.”
Though the absence is disappointing for Dortmund, Kovac accepted the situation calmly. “Someone else will fill in. It’s not ideal, but we move on,” he added.
Dortmund secure victory over Monterrey
Borussia Dortmund reached the last eight by securing a 2-1 win over Monterrey, a match that saw Serhou Guirassy score both goals for the German side. The forward found the net twice in the first half, each time assisted by Karim Adeyemi, giving Dortmund a solid lead heading into the break.
Monterrey managed to reduce the deficit after halftime when German Berterame found the back of the net, creating tension for the remainder of the game. Jobe Bellingham was substituted later in the match, with Marcel Sabitzer coming on in his place.
There was controversy late in the game when Monterrey fans engaged in discriminatory chanting during Dortmund goalkeeper Gregor Kobel’s goal-kicks. The crowd had to be cautioned after using a term deemed homophobic. Former Real Madrid defender Sergio Ramos nearly leveled the match in the dying moments but headed narrowly off target.
Real Madrid await as Xabi Alonso prepares for Dortmund
The win set up a high-profile showdown between Dortmund and Real Madrid, who earned their place in the quarter-finals with a victory over Juventus. The upcoming tie carries special weight for Dortmund and German football, according to Kovac. “We’ve already exceeded expectations by progressing. Now we face arguably the greatest club in the world. It’s a fantastic opportunity.”
Real Madrid, now managed by Xabi Alonso following his successful tenure at Bayer Leverkusen—where he led the team to the 2023–24 Bundesliga title—will be a challenging opponent. Kovac acknowledged Alonso’s influence, saying, “He brought a clear identity to Leverkusen, and he’s now applying the same philosophy in Madrid, only with different personnel.”
Despite the difficult task ahead, the Dortmund coach remained positive. “We’ll give our all for 90 minutes. If we can reproduce today’s effort and energy, we have every chance.”
Meanwhile, Monterrey’s Sergio Ramos reflected on his team’s performance with pride, despite missing out on a potential reunion with his former club. “We gave everything out there,” he told DAZN. “The fans could see our commitment. We must keep going forward.”
