Matthäus accuses Klopp of Kimmich decision – captain criticism
In Bayern Munich's training centre in Herzogenaurach, the national team players gathered on Monday, while captain Joshua Kimmich was already preparing his departure from the Nations League squad – a step that sent Jürgen Klopp and the German national team into turmoil. The plan he implemented after the 0:1 defeat against Greece sparked incomprehension from record international Lothar Matthäus.
Matthäus expressed his incomprehension in a Sky column that he published the day after the 0:1 defeat. He criticised that Kimmich is not only captain of the 22 players in the first squad, but also of the others who met on Monday in Herzogenaurach.
Matthäus demands Kimmich in the squad
"Kimmich is not only the captain of the 22 players in the first squad, but also the captain of the other players who met on Monday in Herzogenaurich," wrote the 1990 World Champion. "I would have kept him in the squad for all four games so that the newcomers could also get to know him," he demanded.
The 65-year-old Matthäus emphasized that the captain, alongside the coach, is jointly responsible for the team. He described the Bayern Munich midfield chief, a champion, as "always on fire" and as the "absolute leader" of the national team, regardless of whether he trains or plays in Munich.
Klopp under fire after draw and defeat in Nations League
Criticism of other national players and of Klopp
Matthäus also doubted Kimmich's influence in the DFB team. "He himself made the difference at Bayern, but not yet in the DFB team," he criticised the 31-year-old captain.
Karim Adeyemi (FC Barcelona) and Felix Nmecha (Borussia Dortmund) also fell into the crosshairs. Matthäus said Adeyemi has the right to dribble, but also the right to score goals from the chances he most recently converted at Barca. At the same time, he described Nmecha's duelling behaviour as "circularly fierce" before Greece's winning goal.
Jürgen Klopp tests Kimmich's return to midfield – new questions
Finally, Matthäus considered Klopp's expectations to be excessive. "Everything that Klopp demands from his players has been a normality on the pitch for me for 20 years. We have a lot of quality, but in some positions we currently lack players who make the difference at the highest level," he concluded.