Bayern Munich’s Joshua Kimmich opens up on rehab and can’t wait to play again

Bayern Munich simply cannot contain its “mentality monster” Joshua Kimmich as he is attacking his rehabilitation like he does everything else: with non-step intensity and a laser-focus on achieving an end goal.

In this case, Kimmich will reach the finish line when he is back on the pitch for game play with his mates. Until then, he will continue to push his way through a rigorous rehab after tearing his meniscus last month against Borussia Dortmund.

The 25-year-old has made excellent progress so far, however, and is already getting in some ball work, along with his other rehab exercises.

Photo by M. Donato/FC Bayern via Getty Images

“After the operation my knee felt really good, right away,” Kimmich said in an interview with FC Bayern TV. “I felt free. I was even already ready to ride a bike. I very quickly had the feeling of ‘okay, now we are getting somewhere’. Now you have to work on getting back into things and after five or six weeks you’ll be in your way again.”

Bayern Munich manager Hansi Flick is not surprised at Kimmich’s approach, but wants to make sure he does not push himself too hard. There have been some whisper

“If it were up to him, he’d be playing 60 minutes tomorrow,” said Hansi Flick at his weekly press conference. “We don’t want to rush things though. The way he is training, day-to-day, is just lovely to see.”

As for now, Kimmich just wants to get his knee back to 100% and “regain a certain armor again.”

“It is difficult to take away positives from an injury, because you basically can’t pretend that an injury like that isn’t serious,” said Kimmich, who didn’t broach the rumors that he could actually return to game play this month. “It’s positive that you’re not away as much and that I can be at home more. Of course, I can concentrate on getting fit again. But I won’t beat around the bush, I’d rather be with the team and play in the Champions League and Bundesliga.”

That sounds just about right.