Postgame reaction: Bayern Munich’s Joshua Kimmich happy Bavarians shook off rough start

Bayern Munich midfielder Joshua Kimmich never lost doubt that his squad would be able to beat Bayer Leverkusen in their big, Bundesliga showdown, but he was not overly happy after seeing the squad scuffle in the game’s opening minutes.

“I thought we had what it takes, but I didn’t think the first 15 minutes were that good. But then it was gigantic, of course,” said Kimmich.

Coming off of a disappointing — and ultimately losing — effort against Eintracht Frankfurt, Bayern Munich was eager to get itself sorted. One of the reasons that Bayern Munich was able to take control was its ability to exploit space behind Bayer Leverkusen’s midfield.

“The distribution of space was really good. Especially behind the sixes of the opponent with Leon, Leroy or Thomas. That’s how we got pace into the game,” said Kimmich, who also assured fans that the tape on his ankle was nothing more than precautionary.