Kimmich rules out Germany midfield return despite Pavlović and Nmecha injuries

While he plays in central midfield for Bayern Munich week in, week out, Joshua Kimmich has mostly been deployed at right-back for Germany under Julian Nagelsmann.

Heading into the upcoming friendlies against Switzerland and Ghana, Germany will be without two central midfielders, as Aleksandar Pavlović and Felix Nmecha have both been forced to withdraw due to injury.

Despite this, the Germany captain underlined at a press conference on Tuesday that there are no plans for him to step into midfield.

“No, I am convinced that I can bring my qualities as a right-back just as well as in midfield,” Kimmich underlined.

The 31-year-old also said he expects “two positive and good performances” against Switzerland and Ghana, stressing the importance of not looking too far ahead with the World Cup approaching later this year.

“We need to focus on what is immediately ahead,” the Bayern star stressed. 

“We cannot focus on the World Cup yet – the squad might look a bit different by then anyway.”