Bayern Munich star Joshua Kimmich knows what is at stake against FC Barcelona in the Champions League on Wednesday.
The midfielder loves to play in such a matchup, but understands a loss could make Bayern Munich’s pathway forward in the UCL just a little more difficult.
“It’s always something special to play against Barça, which we often did lately. The situation is of course very interesting, seeing Hansi again. We are really looking forward to it,” said Kimmich, whose press conference was interrupted by a temporary power outage (as captured by @iMiaSanMia). “I think it’s very exciting, but it’s also tough to get to grips with. Barça and we have both lost one game, so it’ll be exciting tomorrow. I don’t know what’s then possible if you lose twice, whether you can reach the next round without the playoffs.”
Kimmich, of course, will be competing against his old boss, Hansi Flick, who now mans the head coaching spot for FC Barcelona. Kimmich said Bayern Munich’s current run of form reminds him of Flick’s tenure in Bavaria.
“It feels like the time under Hansi Flick because we’re winning so many games. Yes, we had three games before the international break where we didn’t win, but the way we’re playing makes us confident. We won a lot of games under Hansi. We didn’t really manage that as much afterwards. We’ve also not won a title yet this season, but wins are the foundation for titles. And a good togetherness and good football are also the foundations for wins. We’re on track there. We players see the path and believe in the way we’re playing,” said Kimmich, who then reflected on his time working with Flick at Bayern Munich. “Hansi created a good spirit back then. He gave the players and everyone around us a lot of trust. Also at times where there were doubts, including we players in ourselves. We then played spectacular football that we all loved. We created a dynamic, we believed in what sort of football we were playing. That was what that time was about.”
Finally, the Germany international admitted that watching FC Barcelona and the Spanish national team both influenced him as a youngster.
“Barcelona and Spain as a national team had a big impact. Xavi Hernandez was my childhood role model, I always watched the games with Pep as coach and the Tiki-Taka. They were a role model,” Kimmich remarked.
Could Bayern Munich actually lose to FC Barcelona? What happens if we do? How do the two teams stack up? We discuss those questions and more in the newest episode of our podcast! Listen to it below or on Spotify.
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