Bayern Munich to Face Stuttgart Without Joshua Kimmich

Coach Vincent Kompany will have to field his first starting lineup without national team player Joshua Kimmich during his tenure at FC Bayern Munich. The 30-year-old midfielder is sidelined for the Bundesliga match against VfB Stuttgart on Friday at 20:30 (DAZN) due to a thigh tendon strain.

„Unless a miracle happens today, this match is too early for him,“ Kompany reported before Thursday’s final training session. However, the coach did not express despair over the situation. „We will manage this with our squad. Joshua is not the first one to be out,“ Kompany reminded, referencing previous matches without key players like top scorer Harry Kane, defensive leader Dayot Upamecano, or more recently, Alphonso Davies.

Pavlovic and Goretzka as Solutions

As Aleksandar Pavlovic is fit and ready for action again after a training break, he is likely to join veteran Leon Goretzka in the defensive midfield role, according to Kompany. Additionally, Harry Kane can return to the starting lineup following a calf injury.

The goals for Bayern in Stuttgart are clear: they aim to maintain their eight-point lead over Bayer Leverkusen. „We learned last season that VfB is not easy to beat away,“ reminded sports director Max Eberl, recalling the 1:3 defeat on the 32nd matchday.

Moreover, the Munich team seeks to build positive momentum before their upcoming round of 16 first leg in the Champions League against Leverkusen. Following the grand celebration of FC Bayern Munich’s 125th anniversary on Wednesday evening, Kompany stated, „We want the fans and the club to continue celebrating into the weekend. So, we know what we have to do!“