Buddy duel on Saturday
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Just a few years ago, the national player would never have expected that Robert Andrich would go on vacation with Joshua Kimmich and his family. “I once said to Joshua: ‘I don’t know why – but I hated you,’” Bayer Leverkusen’s Andrich reported to “Sport Bild”. “Many friends still ask me today how it is that we get along so well.”
Player comparison
Bayer 04 Leverkusen
FC Bayern Munich
€9.00 million
Market value
€45.00 million
Defensive midfield
position
Defensive midfield
June 30, 2028
Contract until
June 30, 2029
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Andrich said he got to know the Bayern professional better after his second or third time with the national team. “It’s often the case that you already form an image before you really get to know the person. That was the case with Josh, I had prejudices – not good. This is a fitting example of the fact that we footballers often present a different image as a person on the pitch than in real life.”
He used to be bothered by Kimmich’s behavior on the pitch. “We’re both guys who look very stubborn in the game, so there’s less laughter. What bothered me about him was that he quickly seemed so negative on the pitch when something didn’t suit him,” said Andrich. “Not everyone likes that, I didn’t like it at all at first.”
Saturday there will be a duel between the buddies
The two friends will meet in the Bundesliga on Saturday when Leverkusen visits the still unbeaten league leaders Bayern Munich (6:30 p.m./Sky). “At the moment you have to say: Bavaria is the ultimate,” said Andrich. “No one is really close to standing up to them yet.” However, Leverkusen has not lost away from home in 37 games in the Bundesliga across all seasons (in addition to the Bundesliga clubs’ current series of wins and losses).
