FC Bayern München v Borussia Dortmund - Bundesliga 2026/27

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'A very tough week!' – Joshua Kimmich speaks out after emotional Bayern Munich return

Bayern Munich captain Joshua Kimmich made an emotional return to action during Saturday's 2-2 Der Klassiker draw against Borussia Dortmund following a personal bereavement. Kimmich called for complete squad unity as the Bavarians navigate a challenging period of injuries and touchline absence.

Kimmich returns to captain Bayern in electric Klassiker

Joshua Kimmich returned to Bayern Munich's starting line-up to captain the side in a 2-2 Der Klassiker draw against Borussia Dortmund at the Allianz Arena. The midfielder had missed Bayern's previous three matches due to a bereavement in his immediate family.

Kimmich anchored the midfield alongside Aleksandar Pavlovic, providing immediate composure and set-piece quality.

Despite his influence, Fabio Silva scored a 90th-minute equalizer to deny Bayern all three points.

Captain speaks out on tough personal period

Speaking after the final whistle, Kimmich admitted that returning to the pitch was a significant mental hurdle. "It’s been a very tough week. I’m glad to be back on the pitch," Kimmich revealed.

"Regardless of the result, it has to be said that we’re going through a difficult spell at the moment."

"Now is the time to show whether we’re a team. We need to stick together," the German international stressed.

Kimmich insists draw was unfair on Bayern dominance

Kimmich assisted Dayot Upamecano's goal from a short corner, but felt Bayern deserved far more from the contest given their total control. "I think this was our third draw. Today’s didn’t need to end like that. Especially when you see the game in the second half, I don’t think a draw is justified," Kimmich asserted.

"But that’s sometimes the case in football. Dortmund didn’t give up and were in it till the end."

"At the end of the day, we need to take the point, even though we obviously should’ve won," he added.

Bayern turn focus to Champions League trip

Despite the late frustration, Bayern remain top of the Bundesliga standings on goal difference ahead of Dortmund.

Kimmich and his team-mates must immediately reset as they prepare to travel to Spain.

The Bavarians take on Atletico Madrid in a massive Champions League clash on Tuesday evening.

A sports journalist with nearly a decade of experience, beginning the professional journey at Indonesia's legendary Tabloid BOLA from 2017 until its final print edition in December 2018. Following that, joining GOAL, contributing as a freelance writer for FIFA, and working within the media department of the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF). Alongside the journalism career, also active as a live play-by-play commentator for Indonesian football since 2017. Holds a bachelor's degree in History from the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Padjadjaran, Bandung.

Football Story

Footballing identity built on geography, heritage, and childhood obsession. Although the father played for a traditional rival club, nine years living in Bandung made Persib a spiritual home, sparked in 2006 by Thai goalkeeper Kosin Hathairattanakool and witnessing firsthand how deeply locals own the club. Globally, the first true love was Ronaldo and Inter Milan, enduring the heartbreak of near-misses during injury-plagued years. With Dutch roots in Rotterdam, making Feyenoord the club of choice, the Netherlands national team has always remained close to the heart, highlighted by the 2010 World Cup final, a live 2013 friendly against Indonesia, and Oranje Indonesia watch parties. Arjen Robben and Giovanni van Bronckhorst remain ultimate favorites, while Football Manager 2005 sparked a lasting admiration for Athletic Bilbao’s philosophy. Outside football, allegiance lies with the Chicago Bulls and Golden State Warriors through icons like Michael Jordan, Derrick Rose, and Stephen Curry.

Areas of Expertise

Areas of expertise span Indonesian football and Liga 1 data insights and unique features, alongside Southeast Asian and East Asian football landscapes covering Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, Japan, and Korea. Additional skills include digital and social media video content creation such as Instagram reels and podcasts, as well as player profiling, feature writing, live broadcasting, interviewing, photography, and multilingual communication in basic français and español .

Favourite Footballing Memory

Combining a passion for backpacking with professional assignments has made it possible to pursue two goals simultaneously. Meeting and interviewing various Indonesian players pursuing careers or currently based abroad, ranging from across Southeast Asia to Europe, has been an absolute privilege and honor. Traveling independently through the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, France, and Japan to track down and connect with Indonesian players competing abroad remains a truly cherished experience. Crafting interview content with them is a body of work that will always hold a special place in memory.

My All-Time XI

It’s tough to lock down a definitive starting XI, but the non-negotiables are Manuel Neuer or Rogério Ceni in goal; alongside Javier Zanetti, Sergio Ramos, N'Golo Kanté, Toni Kroos, Arjen Robben, Mo Salah, and Zlatan Ibrahimović. Juan Román Riquelme or Michael Laudrup most likely complete the tactical puzzle. While legends like Lothar Matthäus, Zinedine Zidane, and Ronaldo are impossible to overlook, they were left out simply because they feature in everyone else's lineup.

Kimmich returns to captain Bayern in electric Klassiker

Captain speaks out on tough personal period

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