Kimmich: “We have both hunger and experience and this will be key against RM”

The Bayern Munich player speaks to AS before the first leg of the Real Madrid Champions League semi-final in confident mood ahead of the tie.

Bayern Munich defensive midfielder Joshua Kimmich catches up with AS on the eve of the Champions League semi-final first leg as Real Madrid travel to Bavaria. The 29-year-old analyzes the ups and downs that Bayern have experienced in the 2023-24 season and looks forward to the test against the likes of Vinicius and Bellingham.

In the last match against Real Madrid in the 2018 semifinals you scored a goal in both games but Bayern were  eliminated. Are you ready for revenge?

Both teams have radically changed since that game in 2018 which was over six years ago. We have had plenty of time to develop and both teams have experienced plenty of change.

What did you learn in that last tie against Madrid and why is playing the Bernabeu side special in Champions League?

Whenever you watch Madrid in the Champions League you see their great mentality and quality. They always have a strong side, teams with both talent and experience and we saw this in the Round of 16 games against RB Leipzig, where Leipzig in both games were perhaps the better team, but, in the end... You feel that Real Madrid have something special with the Champions League and as this is a competition about both quality and and the right mental approach.

Thanks to your goal against Arsenal, Bayern are back in the UCL semi-finals after a very mixed season. How does that make you feel?

For me personally, it was a really important goal. But I also think about the team, the club, the fans and everyone here in Munich. We are happy to face Real Madrid and I feel we have matured and we are back here again.

Why do we see two