Jurgen Klopp is baffled by the debates surrounding Joshua Kimmich's role in his Germany setup, ahead of Friday's pivotal Nations League clash with Serbia.

Germany sit second in Nations League Group A2 with two games remaining, three points adrift of both the Netherlands and Greece.

Ahead of the Oranje visiting Berlin on matchday six, Klopp's side may need to beat Serbia to have any chance of reaching the quarter-finals. 

But on the eve of that match in Belgrade, Klopp was frustrated to find himself fielding more questions about whether Kimmich warrants a place in his starting XI.

Kimmich started Germany's first two games under Klopp – a 1-1 draw with the Netherlands and a shock 1-0 defeat to Greece – before being allowed to leave the camp early to rejoin Bayern Munich, due to a minor fitness issue.

With Kimmich gone, Bayern youngsters Tom Bischof and Aleksandar Pavlovic started in the heart of midfield for a 2-0 win over Serbia and a goalless draw in the reverse fixture with Greece, winning plaudits for their displays.

But Klopp would rather focus on the qualities Bischof and Pavlovic bring to the team, rather than their suitability to replace Kimmich.

He told reporters: "We can't be happy about the performances of the two young players – because they have done a really good job – without that turning into a story about what it means for Kimmich? 

"That's the narrative that gets created: What does this mean for Joshua Kimmich? It means nothing. 

"I have a very positive view of this team. We have a very good mix in the squad. Tom and Aleks had a great game, and Kimmich wasn't there. Felix Nmecha wasn't there either, so I did not understand the debate."

 

 

 

 

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Klopp also believes having a high-pressure match so early in his tenure will be a major positive, as Germany build towards Euro 2028 off the back of a disappointing World Cup campaign.

"I'm looking forward to it. It's a test," he added. "We're doing all of this with one ultimate goal in mind: to be ready for the tournaments. 

"[Friday] is a proper competitive match, and I expect it to be a very difficult game. 

"It will be a real test for us to see where we stand, and how far we've come. We would obviously like to show that we've made good use of this time. 

"We have a few hours left to make that happen, so that everyone can see it on the pitch. As I said, I'm looking forward to it."