The debate surrounding Joshua Kimmich on the German national team continues to be a hot topic. Now, Bayern coach Vincent Kompany has also weighed in on the matter.
Joshua Kimmich’s role on the German national team remains one of the major topics of discussion following the first few weeks under Jürgen Klopp. While the 31-year-old is an undisputed starter at FC Bayern under Vincent Kompany, there is debate within the DFB about how well his profile fits the new national team coach’s playing philosophy.
Most recently, Lothar Matthäus also weighed in on the debate. The record-holding national team player emphasized that Kimmich must play for him as captain. At the same time, he does not see the Bayern pro as a classic sole defensive midfielder in Klopp’s preferred 4-1-4-1 system.
Matthäus therefore recently suggested that Kimmich’s Bayern teammate Aleksandar Pavlovic would be a better fit as Klopp’s defensive midfielder. In his view, the 22-year-old is a better fit for the sole defensive midfielder position because Kimmich plays more offensively and is usually covered by a second central midfielder at Bayern Munich.
Now Kompany has also been confronted with the discussion surrounding his star player. However, the Bayern coach does not attach much importance to the debate.
Kompany wants to stay out of the Kimmich debate
“I often try to stay out of these minor debates because they’re just minor debates (…) And no, I’m not influenced by what happens with the national team. I believe it’s the other way around—that the national team is influenced by what happens at a club,” Kompany explained to Sky.
With this, the Belgian makes it clear that the discussions surrounding Kimmich at the DFB play no role in his own assessment. At FC Bayern, the national team captain remains one of the key figures in midfield.
The differences between the club and the national team lie primarily in their tactical approaches. Under Kompany, Kimmich usually plays in a double-six formation, which gives him greater freedom in building up play and pushing forward. Klopp, on the other hand, prefers to use a single defensive midfielder in front of the defense with the DFB.
It is precisely this difference that has sparked the current discussion. Matthäus recently stated: “Kimmich is Klopp’s captain and therefore has to play for me. However, he is not a classic defensive midfielder.”
For Kompany, this does not change Kimmich’s standing at FC Bayern. So while the DFB continues to debate the captain’s ideal role, there is currently little cause for a similar debate in Munich. Under Kompany, Kimmich is a starter—and his position on the Bayern team is not in question, regardless of Klopp’s considerations.