“He radiates incredible calm in every situation and finds solutions at light-speed” — Diego Demme on Joshua Kimmich

FC Bayern Munich’s upcoming fixture against RB Leipzig potentially influences the destination of the Meisterschale. Regarded as a title contender, Leipzig has undergone rapid development, increasing the competitiveness of the Bundesliga at the top of the table.

In an interview with 11 Freunde, Leipzig midfielder Diego Demme talked about his former teammate, Joshua Kimmich, ahead of the clash at the Red Bull Arena. Demme’s summary:

He radiates incredible calm in every situation and finds solutions at light-speed.

Since leaving RB Leipzig in 2015, Kimmich is a four-time Bundesliga champion with three DFB-Pokal’s and three DFL-Supercup’s to his name. The 24-year-old has developed into a versatile player regarded as one of the best right-backs in the world.

“Except for the goalkeeper position, you can actually put him anywhere,” Demme said of Kimmich’s versatility on the pitch. Referencing his preferred role, Kimmich’s former teammate thinks the 24 year-old is best played in midfield. “In the midfield I think it’s good because he can direct the game from there,” Demme said.

Looking back on their time together at Leipzig, Demme revealed an interesting detail of his and Kimmich’s model midfielders:

We looked at YouTube compilations before the games, myself from Andrea Pirlo, he from Xavi.

Whether it’s on the football pitch or completing an escape room in record time, Kimmich’s competitiveness and ambition to succeed has contributed to his impressive rise as a football player. “He cannot lose,” Demme summed up.

Their reunion on Saturday, assuming they both play, will be the seventh fixture in which Kimmich and Demme have played against each other. A victory for FC Bayern will see the Bavarians overtake current league leaders Leipzig.