Joshua Kimmich mourns father Berthold before Bayern Munich’s Arsenal clash

Joshua Kimmich will not play for Bayern Munich against Arsenal in the UEFA Champions League after the death of his father, Berthold, at the age of 57.

Berthold died from complications caused by a sudden heart attack, according to German newspaper Bild. Bayern Munich announced on Wednesday that Kimmich would miss the match at Allianz Arena following the death of a close family member, but did not identify him in order to protect the player’s privacy.

Bild later reported, citing sources close to Kimmich, that the person who died was his father. Berthold was a major source of support during his son’s development and career in football.

Kimmich’s father encouraged him from his earliest days in the sport and regularly took him to Stuttgart to attend matches and training sessions. The journeys involved long distances for the family, but Berthold continued to support his son as he progressed.

Kimmich subsequently developed through Stuttgart and Leipzig before joining Bayern Munich. He went on to establish himself as one of the world’s leading midfielders and later became captain of the Germany national team.

The midfielder missed Bayern Munich’s final training session on Tuesday for personal reasons. The club then confirmed that he would not be included in the squad for the Champions League meeting with Arsenal.

Bayern Munich expressed its support for Kimmich in an official statement, saying: “The entire FC Bayern Munich club stands by Joshua Kimmich and expresses its deepest condolences.”

The club also asked for respect for the privacy of Kimmich and his family during what it described as a difficult period. His absence leaves Bayern Munich without one of their most important players for the European fixture.