The German national team secured its first victory under Jürgen Klopp with a 2-0 win over Serbia. From FC Bayern’s perspective, the newly formed midfield duo of Tom Bischof and Aleksandar Pavlovic was particularly impressive.
Both Munich players were on the field from the start and clicked right away. Bischof scored the opening goal, while Pavlovic impressed with a strong box-to-box performance. With this, both have not only earned themselves further call-ups to the DFB squad; their performances could also reignite the discussion about Joshua Kimmich’s future role.
After all, at FC Bayern, Bischof and Pavlovic are also competing with the 31-year-old for playing time in central midfield. While Kimmich remains one of the most important players there, his two younger teammates are increasingly emerging as serious alternatives.
Bischof and Pavlovic are increasing the pressure on Kimmich
Bischof had a nearly perfect night against Serbia. The 21-year-old was solid in ball circulation, aggressive off the ball, and repeatedly got involved in the attack. In the 39th minute, he rewarded himself with his first goal for the German senior national team.
Pavlovic also made the most of his opportunity. With Kimmich and Felix Nmecha out, the 22-year-old was called upon to lead the midfield. He took on a lot of responsibility in building up play, looked to finish chances himself, and was a presence all over the field.
That’s exactly what Klopp highlighted after the final whistle. “I liked the whole team. The counter-pressing. How we defended. When you defend so compactly, you play good soccer. Pavlovic was a presence all over the field. That should be our standard,” the national team coach explained on ZDF.
However, Klopp was not at all pleased that his team’s strong performance immediately sparked a discussion about Kimmich. When asked about the new midfield lineup, he responded firmly: “It’s such a wonderful evening. And without even bringing it up, you want to raise an issue that isn’t an issue.”
When the reporter clarified that he hadn’t mentioned Kimmich at all, Klopp retorted: “And in the end, it’ll turn into a Jo Kimmich story. You’ll manage that just fine.”
A new situation at FC Bayern, too?
Klopp expressly does not want to engage in a fundamental debate about his captain with the DFB. “Unfortunately, I can’t sing along to that song,” he said regarding the possible interpretation that Germany performed better without Kimmich. For him, soccer must function regardless of the players on the field: “Soccer has to remain consistent—the lineup doesn’t.”
At FC Bayern, however, the development of Bischof and Pavlovic could prove interesting. Both are significantly younger than Kimmich and embody a dynamic midfield that impressed against Serbia with high work rate, aggressive counter-pressing, and plenty of drive forward.
This by no means means that Kimmich will immediately lose his spot with the record champions. The 31-year-old continues to be highly valued for his experience, his qualities in building play, and his leadership role. At the same time, however, competition within the squad is growing with Bischof and Pavlovic.
This raises an intriguing question, especially in the long term: How will Vincent Kompany line up his central midfield when all three Bayern pros are available?
In any case, Bischof and Pavlovic showed against Serbia that they can work together exceptionally well. What began as an experiment at the DFB could thus also become an interesting option for FC Bayern—and force Kimmich to fight even harder for his spot in Munich’s midfield in the future.