Bayern Munich star Joshua Kimmich loved the excitement leading up to his team’s Champions League tilt vs. Real Madrid.
In a game where emotions will run high, Kimmich knows that each team will have chances to take control of the match. For Kimmich, it is hard to figure out ways to stop Real Madrid because it just always finds a way to win.
“Two big clubs will face each other. It’s difficult to say what will be key. Real are very experienced and have a lot of quality. They are often not the better team, as against Leipzig and City, but they still go through because they believe in their strengths and their quality. But We should also believe in our own strengths. We don’t have to hide,” Kimmich said (as captured by @iMiaSanMia). “The 2020 final was very special without spectators, so we want to experience it again with fans. We are in the semifinals and have a great chance of making it to the final. We are focused on tomorrow and want to achieve a good result in order to be in a good position for the second leg.
“When they won the Champions League two years ago, they made a comeback almost every time. You can’t just talk about luck. You can tell that they have confidence in their strength. They have individual quality to beat every opponent and always come back.
“It definitely won’t be a normal game. A Champions League semifinal is always special, even more so against Real Madrid since they’re a massive club. Everyone who enjoys football wants to watch a semifinal between Bayern and Real. We haven’t had much time to prepare. Real’s strengths are in transition. It’ll be a mix. It’s important to defend well, but we still shouldn’t hide, need to be brace and have possession. It’s about the balance between attacking and defending, between high and deep defending, and always having the courage to attack.”
Kimmich will be squaring off with his old boss Carlo Ancelotti, but as a youngster, the Germany international did not play too often under the veteran coach.
“He’s still very successful with Real Madrid. He’s been successful almost everywhere he’s been and has won the Champions League a few times. I didn’t play that much under him in the first season, but in the second season I played almost every game. Unfortunately, we weren’t as successful back then as he is now at Real,” Kimmich noted.
Now playing right-back, Kimmich will likely be matched up with Vinicius Jr, a tough challenge for any defender.
“He is one of the best dribblers and 1v1 players in Europe. It’s always difficult to defend a player like that alone. We will have to solve a lot of things tactically as a team. He’s dangerous and very quick,” said Kimmich. ”Real Madrid players are always switching positions. Especially up front with Rodrygo, Vini or Bellingham. You don’t always just defend one player. It’s important for me to keep my position at right-back and not go out of position by chasing one player”
Looking for more thoughts and analysis on Bayern Munich’s massive Champions League showdown with Real Madrid? We’ve got you covered with our Bavarian Podcast Works — Preview Show, where we dive into the game, Bayern Munich’s tenuous injury situation, a guess on Thomas Tuchel’s lineup, and a prediction on the game. Check it out on Spotify or below: