Bayern Munich star Joshua Kimmich has heaped praise onto RB Leipzig forward Timo Werner for his goal-scoring exploits with the East German side.
Comparing his Germany international team-mate with Robert Lewandowski, the prolific Bayern No.9, he has argued that what his compatriot has achieved is every bit as impressive, even if he has not been quite as prolific.
Lewandowski leads the way in terms of finding the target in the Bundesliga with 22 goals from 20 starts this season, striking at a rate of one goal ever 81 minutes.
Werner, meanwhile, is two goals further back, with 20 goals from 20 starts and a strike, on average, every 85 minutes he is on the field.
Kimmich is in awe of both figures.
“The numbers are very impressive for both players,” the 24-year-old explained after the 4-3 DFB Pokal encounter against Hoffenheim in midweek.
“I’m very happy for Timo. He scored 18 goals in the first half of the season. That should not be sniffed at and scoring so many goals at Leipzig is a completely different thing to doing so at Bayern Munich.”
Leipzig, meanwhile, were winter champions in Germany, having excelled at the beginning of the season, in part due to the prolific form of Werner.
Since the winter break, however, they have seen their advantage overhauled by FCB, who now hold a one-point edge at the summit of the standings.
Indeed, Leipzig have failed to win any of their last three matches in all competitions, defeated in the league and cup by Eintracht Frankfurt, while they were held in league action against Borussia Monchengladbach last weekend.
On Sunday, Bayern and Leipzig will do battle at the Allianz Arena in what promises to be a pivotal game in the race for the Bundesliga title, with the home side approaching that game on a six-match winning streak in the league.
Bayern are undefeated in their last four match against Leipzig, including a 1-1 draw earlier this season in which Lewandowski gave FCB an early lead only for Emil Forsberg to cancel that out.
Werner will be hoping to make his mark on this game, having scored three times previously against the Bavarian side.
