Joshua Kimmich has put Germany right back in the thick of hunt for Euro glory
Bayern starlet is a central midfielder and will be the next Xabi Alonso but he’s played at right-back for six months
THIS is where the tournament starts for Germany and I don’t expect them to let me down.
Joachim Low found his first team against Northern Ireland and got them playing better. They had 15 or 16 great chances.
One of the main reasons was the right-back.
Joshua Kimmich is a central midfielder and will be the next Xabi Alonso but he’s played at right-back for Munich for six months.
Even though he is only 21, I’ve rarely seen a player look so smart and concentrated, with confidence and power.
We just need to see what he is like defensively under pressure.
Toni Kroos is our Andres Iniesta, a fantastic player, and I think the triangle of Manuel Neuer, Jerome Boateng and Mats Hummels is the world’s best.
It was a mistake playing Thomas Muller on the wing. He has to get closer to Mario Gomez and open the space for Kimmich.
It is about combinations, too. I think Germany should play eight of the Bayern players.
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The only player I’m not so happy with is Sami Khedira. He works hard but he doesn’t have the speed I’d like.
So Low could go with Bastian Schweinsteiger in his midfield position.
Slovakia will do exactly what they did against England — just defend. I expect Germany will create more than England did.
They have more quality and have been together longer.
Slovakia are an old team but they know what happened last month.
Yes, it was water polo in Augsburg and it wasn’t Germany’s first team but they scored two from set-pieces and won 3-1.
They know they can hurt Germany, but not enough to knock them out.
LOTHAR MATTHAUS is a SunSport columnist and ITV pundit. Twitter: @LMatthaeus10