Joshua Kimmich: Germany “just didn’t have desire” in poor start vs. Belgium

Ninety minutes for Bayern Munich’s Joshua Kimmich, what else is new? For the second time in four days, Hansi Flick fielded the Bavarian field general for the full length of an international friendly — this time in an uncomfortable 2-3 loss to Belgium that saw the Germans start sluggishly.

“The first 30 minutes were very poor, and we were still in the dressing room for the first 15,” Kimmich commented (via DFB.de). “We made so many mistakes and just didn’t have desire. We controlled the second half, though, which was how we imagined the game going.”

Thanks in part to Kimmich’s efforts, Germany were able to make a real game of it. It wasn’t only down to him, of course. The whole team stepped it up to carve out chance after chance. Kimmich launched one of them with a breathtaking through-ball that sliced through the Belgian lines and found Marius Wolf, though it wasn’t to be a goal.

The game also offered a look at Kimmich’s role next to different profiles of midfielders, from Bayern teammate Leon Goretzka to Borussia Dortmund’s Emre Can. The more defensive Can allowed Kimmich to venture further forward; at times he was the furthest forward in the box. How will new Bayern coach Thomas Tuchel deploy him? And is Kimmich tired yet? No matter: Der Klassiker is coming on April 1st.