Vinicius Junior & Kylian Mbappe are strong in one-on-one situations, says Joshua Kimmich ahead of UCL tie against Real Madrid
Kimmich will face Vinicius when Bayern host Madrid in Champions League
Joshua Kimmich, a midfielder for Bayern Munich, will start as a makeshift right-back against the Spanish giants on Tuesday in a crucial first leg of the Champions League semifinal.
It sets up a match between the German superstar and Vinicius Jr., the merciless and unrelenting left-winger for Real Madrid.
In the Champions League this season, Vini has proven to be nearly tough to stop, so Joshua Kimmich will have his work cut out for him. Since the group stage, the Brazilian has just once failed to score or provide an assist.
This season, Vini leads the competition with three goals and five assists. During the knockout stages, three such goal tallies have occurred.
“I know he is very strong in one-on-one situations. Like Kylian Mbappé. So I’m very happy to face him and compete with him,” Kimmich said. We all have some weaknesses and some strengths. I don’t want to talk about his weaknesses. Vinicius is a very very strong player.
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“I have to concentrate, defend and when I have the opportunity to attack, of course I want to do it. But at the beginning, we have to focus on defending and be focused on our game,” the 29-year-old added.
Numerous names have been connected to the Bayern position ever since Bayern Munich revealed that Thomas Tuchel will be leaving Bavaria at the end of the current campaign.
Some candidates, like Roberto De Zerbi and José Mourinho, have dropped out, while Xabi Alonso and Julian Nagelsmann are dedicating themselves to other projects.
Rangnick has an enormous challenge ahead of him if he wants to succeed Tuchel as head coach of Manchester United. However, as Kimmich noted, the father of contemporary German football has a very successful history, and if anyone can elevate Bayern back to the top, it’s him.
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After earning a bachelor's degree in mass media, Rajarshi began his career as a sports writer in 2019, driven by his passion for sports journalism. He has been working in the field for over six years. A devoted fan of Lionel Messi and Barcelona, Rajarshi has been involved in sports since childhood. Before turning his focus to journalism, he even represented his college at the state level. Along with covering football, he enjoys playing the game, watching movies, and experimenting with new recipes in his spare time, as cooking is one of his favorite hobbies.