Before the German national soccer team’s international match against France on Tuesday (9 p.m., ARD and in the sport.de live ticker), there are concerns about national player Joshua Kimmich. Will the FC Bayern midfielder end up missing even in the hugely important game against Bayer Leverkusen on Friday evening?
There is a big question mark behind Joshua Kimmich’s appearance in the first game after Hansi Flick’s dismissal. FC Bayern’s leading player, who was most recently used by Flick as a right-back with freedom, was only able to complete parts of the team training on Monday evening in the final training session before the game against France in Dortmund’s Westfalenstadion.
Kimmich was plagued by muscular problems and after the meeting with interim national coach Rudi Völler and his two assistants Hannes Wolf and Sandro Wagner, he only completed individual runs around the pitch.
It is not yet possible to say what the situation will be like in the all-important test match against France. Just as little as the answer to the question of whether the DFB star will be able to play in FC Bayern’s Bundesliga game against leaders Bayer Leverkusen on Friday evening (8:30 p.m.).
Völler leaves Kimmich’s position open
Not knowing about Kimmich’s injury, Völler had only left it open in a press conference a short time before in which position the long-time Munich native would play in the changed DFB team and did not reveal whether Kimmich would play in his traditional favorite position in midfield returns.
Against France, Völler could really use a fit Kimmich on his difficult mission. “It’s the best team in Europe at the moment, there’s no discussion about it,” said the interim national coach before the game against Kylian Mbappé and Co.
“Therefore we have to do a lot, especially our defensive behavior has to improve. The switching of the French with their fast attackers is unbelievable, that’s the danger. We can’t afford to lose the ball easily and we have to do it much better than against Japan,” he said Völler’s requirement, who will retire to his post as DFB sports director after the game to look for a successor for the dismissed Flick.