At FC Bayern, the focus ahead of the classic match against Borussia Dortmund isn’t just on Joshua Kimmich’s on-field situation. The midfielder has recently been absent due to a family bereavement. Sports director Max Eberl spoke at length about Kimmich’s personal situation ahead of the big match and made it clear that the record champions want to give the national team player the support he needs during this difficult time.

“Of course I’ve been in touch with Jo. Life is different for him now,” Eberl explained at the press conference ahead of the classic match against BVB. Following the loss within his family, the record champions want to continue providing the 30-year-old with the necessary support.

“We’ll give him all the support we can, and I think we’re already putting that into practice. We’re not just paying lip service—we’re providing the support we can,” emphasized the Bayern boss.

On the field, Kimmich is about to take the next step. Until now, the midfielder had only been training on his own. Now he’s set to take the field with his teammates again for the first time. “Jo Kimmich has been training individually so far and will train with the team for the first time today. We’ll see how things go for him from there,” explained assistant coach Aaron Danks.

Appearance in the Klassiker still up in the air

Whether Kimmich will subsequently be in the running for the Derby is still up in the air. Eberl made it clear that the player himself should have a say in the pace of his return. “If Jo feels ready, then I’m relatively certain that the coaching staff will work with Jo to decide whether tomorrow is the right time,” said the sporting director.

The Bayern boss also made it clear that the past few days have marked a significant change for the midfielder. “Life is a bit different for Jo now—you just have to acknowledge that,” said Eberl.

For the Munich team, therefore, it’s not just the sporting significance of the “Klassiker” that’s the main focus. Kimmich should be able to decide for himself when he’s ready to return to his normal routine. Whether he’ll be part of the squad against Dortmund will likely be decided after team practice and subsequent discussions with the coaching staff.

This article was translated into English by AI. You can read the original version here https://fcbinside.de/2026/10/30/wenn-jo-sich-bereit-fuehlt-kimmich-einsatz-gegen-dortmund-bleibt-offen/.