Bayern Munich have confirmed that Joshua Kimmich will not be in their squad for tonight's Champions League clash with Arsenal, following a death in his immediate family.
In a short club statement, Bayern said: "Due to a death in his immediate family, Joshua Kimmich is not in the squad today for the match against Arsenal. In deep sympathy, the entire FC Bayern stands by Joshua Kimmich's side." The club added, on behalf of the family, a request that Kimmich's privacy and grief be respected and that further inquiries be refrained from — a request this article honours.
Reports in England, including The Sun, have said the death is that of Kimmich's father, Berthold, at the age of 57. Bayern themselves have not named the family member, and no further detail should be expected from the club at a moment like this.
From doubt to absence
Kimmich's absence had been a possibility since Tuesday. He missed Bayern's final training session before the game, and assistant coach Aaron Danks told reporters the reason was personal, as Reuters reported at the time. "For Joshua it is personal reasons. I am not sure what it means for tomorrow," Danks said then. Wednesday's statement has now confirmed the saddest possible explanation.
The 31-year-old Germany international is Bayern's metronome in midfield, the player who sets their tempo, takes many of their set pieces and leads on the pitch. His withdrawal comes on top of an already difficult build-up for the hosts, who are without the suspended Michael Olise and the injured Jamal Musiala, while head coach Vincent Kompany has been ill and goalkeeper Manuel Neuer has been a doubt.
So what: football comes second, then the midfield problem
First, and most importantly, none of the football matters very much tonight for Kimmich himself. He will be with his family, exactly where he should be, and the messages of support from supporters of both clubs that followed Bayern's announcement said more about the game at its best than any result at the Allianz Arena will.
For Bayern on the pitch, the task has grown harder. Arsenal arrive with two wins from two in the league phase, over Lille and Napoli, while Bayern have a win and a draw — the dramatic 3-3 at Viking, where Olise was sent off — from theirs. Without Kimmich, Aleksandar Pavlovic is likely to carry a heavier load in midfield, against an Arsenal side whose own engine room, built around Declan Rice, is one of the strongest in Europe. It is the latest twist in a fixture we previewed in full before the team news turned.
Kompany's own presence in the dugout also remains uncertain after illness forced him to miss media duties, a doubt that has hung over Bayern all week. A side can plan for injuries and suspensions. There is no plan, and there should be no expectation of one, for news like this.
Beyond the Final Whistle: There will be analysis tonight about pivots, pressing traps and who replaces Kimmich's passing range, and some of it will even be right. But the verdict here is simpler: Bayern were right to say little, right to ask for privacy, and right to stand publicly by their player. Kimmich has given Bayern a decade of relentless, argumentative, brilliant football. Tonight the club gives something back — space to grieve. Everything else is just a match.
Our thoughts are with Joshua Kimmich and his family. Leave your messages of support in the comments.
