Joshua Kimmich brushed aside the noise with the same calm he shows on the ball.
In the buildup to Bayern’s clash with Real Madrid, the German international dismissed talk of any lingering tension with Vinicius Junior, insisting their previous flashpoints were nothing more than the sharp edges of elite competition.
“It’s being blown out of proportion,” Kimmich told reporters, as quoted by Bild. For him, what many painted as a feud was simply part of the game’s darker arts, a natural by-product of two fierce winners colliding on the biggest stage.
He did not hide where he believes the line truly lies. Real Madrid, he pointed out, have long mastered the subtleties of closing out matches.
“Of course, Real Madrid is also known for their game management skills. Time was on Madrid’s side. Accordingly, everyone has their own strategies to run down the clock.”
That was Kimmich in a sentence: blunt, unsentimental, and utterly focused on the mechanics of winning rather than the theatre around it.
Kompany refuses to be blinded by the stars
On the other side of the touchline, Vincent Kompany cut a different but equally assured figure. Where the narrative swirled around individuals – Vinicius, Kylian Mbappe, the prospect of them lining up together – the Belgian coach kept dragging the conversation back to the collective.
“At this level, every team is dangerous,” he said. “Every team can create something special. You can concede a goal, but you can also score one.”
It was a reminder that even against Real Madrid, with all their glittering talent, the contest remains 11 against 11, shaped by structure and belief as much as by stardust.
Kompany made no attempt to pretend he could design a blueprint that would smother Madrid’s biggest weapons. He knows the reality of facing players like Vinicius and Mbappe: you manage, you adapt, you suffer.
“You can’t have a game plan against Real Madrid that completely neutralizes their individual qualities. That’s why everyone comes to these matches. But I also believe you can’t completely eliminate our own qualities from the game.”
There was no inferiority complex in his words. If anything, it was a quiet challenge to his own dressing room: your talent matters too.
“Fearless” or finished
Kompany’s message ahead of what he called the toughest assignment in Europe was as much psychological as tactical. Do not forget who you are. Do not let the occasion rewrite your identity.
“The most important thing is that you don’t lose sight of what got you here in the first place,” he said. “Tomorrow, we need total focus on the toughest match you can have in Europe, but we want to be 100 percent focused on how to win and how we want to win.”
That last line is where his intent truly sharpened. It is not enough to survive against Real Madrid. He wants his team to impose themselves, to carry their own ideas into a stadium that has broken so many opponents.
“I simply want us to win, and for the team to be fearless and show what they can do.”
No talk of damage limitation. No romanticising the underdog role. Just a simple demand: step onto the pitch without fear, or the night will swallow you.
