Joshua Kimmich, the defender of Bayern Munich, has praised Vinicius for his skills in one-on-one situations, comparing him to Kylian Mbappe, ahead of the first leg of the Champions League semi-final against Real Madrid. Speaking to Spanish newspaper AS, Kimmich acknowledged the challenge of facing exceptional players like Mbappe and Vinicius, who are among the best in European football. He highlighted Vinicius’ strength in one-on-one situations and expressed his readiness to mark him during the match.
Vinicius has been the most dangerous forward for Real Madrid this season, having scored 19 goals and provided 11 assists in 33 appearances across all competitions. He played a crucial role in Real Madrid’s elimination of Manchester City in the quarter-finals of the Champions League, contributing two assists.
When asked about how to neutralize Vinicius, Kimmich responded, “Everyone has weaknesses and strengths. I don’t want to talk about this. I have to focus on defending and, when the opportunity arises, support the attack. The most important thing is that we maintain concentration from the beginning of the match.”
Kimmich is likely to continue playing as a right-back under coach Thomas Tuchel when facing Real Madrid. He excelled in this position in both legs of the quarter-final against Arsenal, effectively shutting down the left-wing threats of the Gunners and scoring the only goal in the second leg at Allianz Arena.
According to Kimmich, Tuchel moved him to right-back due to Bayern’s injury concerns and the need for stability when the system was functioning well. The 29-year-old player is willing to play in any position to help the team achieve victory.
When asked about the secret to performing well as both a right-back and a midfielder, Kimmich replied, “I think it’s a combination of hard work and passion for the game. Of course, you always have to believe in yourself. There will be difficult moments, but you always stay confident and overcome them.”
Recent reports from Sport suggest that Bayern Munich is willing to sell Kimmich to Barcelona, with the condition that Barcelona allows Ronald Araujo or Frenkie de Jong to move in the opposite direction. However, Kimmich, who has a contract until 2025, refused to discuss his future as he wants to focus on the Champions League semi-finals.
Kimmich does not have an agent and will personally negotiate with Barcelona or Real Madrid if he decides to leave Bayern. According to the German star, self-negotiation allows him to listen to the desires of all parties involved, the club, and the coach, in order to make the best decision for himself and his family.