Joshua Kimmich, the opponent: The FC Bayern Munich midfielder is doing well and is playing more and more games

The word “intensity” is synonymous with Bayern Munich and Germany midfielder Joshua Kimmich, although depending on who you ask, he can also be described as a defender. There will hardly be a game, neither for a club nor for a country, in which there was not at least one moment in which Kimmich shouted or gestured aggressively. That’s just the type of player he is and the type of energy he brings to the field. He wears his heart on his sleeve and there is little subtlety about him when he plays football.

Despite rotations in the squad for different games in different competitions, especially with Bayern, Kimmich is often a mainstay in the team sheet. He has the fitness and ability to play a full 90 minutes several times a week and his track record supports how often he plays, with the exception of the period in the 2020/21 season where he struggled with respiratory problems.

This season, particularly with the introduction of the new Champions League format in European competition, there has been widespread criticism from players, clubs, pundits and fans about the number of games scheduled across all competitions. This follows UEFA’s introduction of the Nations League to eliminate the idea of meaningless friendlies during mid-season international breaks.

However, the busy schedule doesn’t bother Kimmich. In fact, he feels the opposite and enjoys the chance to play as often as possible despite the risks.

“Maybe I’m making myself a little unpopular, but I like playing a lot of games. “There will always be injuries in football,” he told Deutsche Welle.

Ironically, Manchester City manager and former Bayern coach Pep Guardiola suggested last season that a strike could be a good option to address increasing pitch congestion. “There is only one solution to change something: maybe you have to change something when all the players decide for themselves to say ‘stop’,” Guardiola said last fall, via The Athletic. “Then perhaps FIFA and UEFA will react a little.”

Manchester City midfielder Rodri, now sidelined with a serious injury, echoed Guardiola’s sentiments earlier this season. “I think we are on the verge of a strike in the football calendar. It is something that worries us. We are the ones who suffer,” he warned (via CentreGoals).

For Kimmich, who rarely gets injured for either Bayern or Germany, one could argue that luck favors the brave. However, not every player is lucky enough to stay fit and healthy for so long. With the incredibly high demand for fixtures there will always be calculated risks, but as things stand the only solution may actually be a strike initiated by players, clubs and national team associations.

Looking for more thoughts and analysis on the current state of FC Bayern Munich, along with updates on Joshua Kimmich and Jamal Musiala’s contract situations and a breakdown of the “Komany Rules”? Great, then check out our “Bavarian Podcast Works – Weekend Warm-up Show” on Patreon, Spotify or below:

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