Kimmich talks Mbappe, Kane, Bernabeu ahead of Real Madrid vs Bayern Munich – ‘This is something special’ | OneFootball

Real Madrid will lock horns with Bundesliga title-holders Bayern Munich in the first leg of the UEFA Champions Laegue quarter-finals tomorrow night at the Santiago Bernabeu.

It is a highly-anticipated match not only for fans, but for players as well, as admitted by Bayern Munich mainstay Joshua Kimmich in his pre-match press conference.

The German international highlighted how the occasion is a special one as two of the biggest clubs in the world face off against each other.

“It’s always a very special match. For me, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich are the two biggest clubs in the world,” Kimmich said.

On being asked what makes this match special, he explained: “Our coach doesn’t usually make many changes depending on the match. But we all feel that this quarter-final against Real Madrid is something special. We’re really looking forward to it.

“As a kid, I used to come to the stadium even when there wasn’t a game on. Even then, I understood how big it was. It’s not just any old thing. We train every day for moments like this. I hope we play a good game tomorrow.”

Talking about how Bayern Munich are approaching the contest against the Merengues, Kimmich stated:

“Generally, we want to make our mark in every match. Real Madrid have a particular style. They can create danger in any situation. It will be important to impose our strengths on the pitch. Of course, we will also adapt a bit to Real Madrid.”

The last time Bayern Munich faced Real Madrid was in the semi-finals of the 2023/24 Champions League, where late goals from Joselu in the second leg at the Bernabeu sent the hosts through to the final.

On what he remembers from that tie, Kimmich elaborated: “After the first leg, I thought we could have won by a bigger margin. In the second leg, Real Madrid were clearly the better side, and then Phonzy [Alphonso Davies] put us ahead with his brilliant goal.

“We went back out onto the pitch thinking we could have done better. However, this year we don’t have any injured players, something that used to happen when we came to play here. We’re very pleased that everyone is available.”

Kimmich excited to face Real Madrid. (Photo by Daniela Porcelli/Getty Images)

Regarding the atmosphere at the Santiago Bernabeu, he noted: “The atmosphere and the fans here are special. Many times we’ve come with good intentions, but we’ve left disappointed.

“This time, however, the second leg is in Munich, which is an advantage for us,” Kimmich warned.

The Bayern Munich midfielder then issued an update on key superstar Harry Kane, saying:

“Harry is incredibly important to us, that’s obvious. He’s a key factor in our game because he’s not just a pure finisher. He’s a natural leader, a true role model.

“He has a special mentality for an attacking player. It would be important for him to be on the field tomorrow to provide his leadership.”

On being asked for his thoughts on Real Madrid’s ace goalscorer Kylian Mbappe, Kimmich replied:

“Mbappe helps any team. He has exceptional individual quality. He’s the captain of the French national team. This season he’s decided many matches, even the closest ones. He’s a lethal weapon. I’ve played against him many times; we know what to expect.”

The midfielder was also asked about Real Madrid’s Round of 16 triumph against Manchester City, which he felt was completely deserved.

“I didn’t watch the games. But it’s Real Madrid, and things are sometimes different here. We expected City to dominate, perhaps. So it was impressive to see them qualify,” Kimmich said.

“City and Real have faced each other many times. Real have progressed on several occasions, although sometimes we felt it wasn’t deserved. But this time against City, it was.”

Source: AS