Kicker has continued its traditional ranking of German soccer and this time evaluated the defensive midfielders in the Bundesliga. From FC Bayern’s perspective, there are both positives and negatives: Joshua Kimmich tops the rankings, Tom Bischof is a pleasant surprise—while Aleksandar Pavlovic falls well short of expectations.
Twice a year, *kicker* evaluates the best Bundesliga players in their respective positions. Players are categorized into World Class, International Class, and National Class. For FC Bayern in particular, top rankings are a matter of course.
In defensive midfield, however, no player made it into the “World Class” category this time.
Kimmich tops the rankings
Joshua Kimmich was ranked by *kicker* as the Bundesliga’s best defensive midfielder and tops the list. However, the Bayern captain narrowly missed making the cut for the highest category.
According to the trade magazine, his performances in the Champions League semifinals against Paris Saint-Germain, in particular, prevented him from being classified as world-class. In those matches, his direct opponents made the decisive difference.
Besides Kimmich, only Kaishu Sano of 1. FSV Mainz 05 and Freiburg’s new signing Johan Manzambi made it into the “International Class” category.
Bischof impresses – Pavlovic only ranks 16th
Tom Bischof is a surprise from Munich’s perspective. The 21-year-old ranks fifth, making him one of the biggest winners in the rankings. According to *kicker*, his enormous flexibility and strong adaptability were the key factors. Last season, Bischof not only impressed in central midfield but also made several successful appearances as a left back.
The result is less encouraging for Aleksandar Pavlovic. Although the German national team player was a regular starter alongside Kimmich for much of last season and put in numerous strong performances, he only managed to reach 16th place in the rankings.
A former Bayern pro also ranks high on the list. Leon Goretzka, who left the record champions this summer, is in eighth place. Given his somewhat inconsistent role in Munich recently, this ranking may come as a surprise.
The current rankings once again underscore Joshua Kimmich’s crucial role in Bayern’s play. At the same time, they show that Tom Bischof, following his strong debut season, now enjoys widespread recognition even beyond the club’s walls. For Pavlovic, on the other hand, this result should serve as additional motivation to work his way up the rankings again in the new season.