Joshua Kimmich and his Bayern Munich teammates can be nothing but pleased with a perfect start to the season so far. But though we are rolling into autumn, the heat is just beginning to turn up — with the start of the Bavarians’ Champions League campaign coming this week in a huge match against Premier League giants and Club World Cup winners Chelsea.
The Blues aren’t going to get smoked the same way as Hamburger SV did last weekend, and Kimmich is ready for the challenge.
“It will definitely be a
different game. We’re very much looking forward to it. We’re in good form, we all came back fit from the national team. I hope we’ll be able to bring the same energy onto the pitch. And then we’ll see what’s possible,” Kimmich said in an interview for Sportschau, as captured by @iMiaSanMia. “The squad got thinner quantity wise, we all know that. But from a quality point of view, it’s looking very good. We depend on players staying fit. We saw that last season when we had many injuries in ‘crunch time’, so I hope the situation will be better this season in February, March, April. We also have three long-term injuries. Hopefully they all come back this year, and then we’ll have a very good team together.”
Bayern is having a steadier start to the season than Chelsea, but the latter spent a whopping €355M on the transfer market this summer, while Bayern, still dealing with injuries and with a thinner squad to boot, only spent €88M. That kind of disparity from Germany’s most deep-pocketed club and just one of many in the English top flight drew exasperation from Bayern exec and honorary president Uli Hoeneß, and Kimmich agrees with the assessment.
“I understand Uli Hoeneß’ perspective,” Kimmich added of the Bayern legend. “He shaped the club and made it big. He’s in the best position to assess the situation.
“I think the problem is in the difference between mid to bottom of the table in the Bundesliga and the Premier League. When you see the financial means they have over there. We, as FC Bayern, can compete. When you see our turnover, everything we got is through hard and honest work. It’s true that they have more means in other countries, especially England, but as I said I think the problem for us as Bundesliga is in the difference between mid to bottom of the table teams. It’s a bit crazy the sums that these teams can spend over there.”
Money or not, the two clubs will settle the score on Wednesday with the rosters they have. Given Bayern’s squad list, culture, and intensity, you have to like the odds.
Bayern Munich will square off with Chelsea in the Champions League at the Allianz Arena in what will surely be an electric atmosphere.
Germany’s biggest club will host a traditional English power…what else can you ask for? Let’s stop wasting time and get into this showdown between two of the more dangerous teams in the competition:
- What a crazy way to start the Champions League
- What to watch for with Chelsea — this team is loaded, but also does have a couple of injuries to deal with.
- A look at Bayern Munich’s injury situation as Vincent Kompany appears to have settled into his starting XI for big matches.
- A guess at Bayern Munich’s starting XI.
- A prediction on the match.
Also, be sure to stay tuned to Bavarian Podcast Works for all of your up to date coverage on Bayern Munich and Germany. Check us out on Patreon and follow us on Twitter @BavarianFBWorks, @BavarianPodcast @TheBarrelBlog, @BFWCyler, @2012nonexistent, @TommyAdams71 and more.
