Kimmich ´almost in tears´ over Coman injury

Joshua Kimmich almost had tears in his eyes when Bayern Munich team-mate Kingsley Coman went down with an ankle injury that will keep him out for several weeks.

Coman suffered ankle ligament damage late in the first half as Bayern opened their Bundesliga campaign with a 3-1 win over Hoffenheim on Friday.

The France international, who missed Les Bleus’ triumphant campaign at the World Cup because of an injury to the same ankle, was helped from the field after a challenge from Nico Schulz.

Bayern later confirmed Coman had torn ankle ligaments and will require surgery.

And Kimmich told reporters: “Of course the injury to Kingsley is very bitter, that hurts us extremely. For him it’s even worse because he just got back from injury and missed the World Cup.

“It was his first Bundesliga game [of the season] and he played outstanding. The fact this happens again is not so easy for the head.

“I was shocked. I almost had tears in my eyes when I saw him lying there.

You’ll be back stronger. We are waiting for you Kingsley

— Robert Lewandowski (@lewy_official) August 25, 2018

“Until then we did very well. In the second half we did not start well, because Hoffenheim also pressed well. After the 1-1 they could not maintain that. The bottom line is that we deserved to win, even if we did not convince for 90 minutes.”

Adam Szalai cancelled out Thomas Muller’s opener to draw Hoffenheim level in the second half at the Allianz Arena, which was dominated by VAR decisions.

A contentious penalty, awarded after Havard Nordtveit was adjudged to have fouled Franck Ribery, resulted in Robert Lewandowski seeing his spot-kick saved by Oliver Baumann and, though Arjen Robben netted on the rebound, referee Bastian Dankert ordered a retake after VAR ruled the Dutchman had encroached into the area early.

Lewandowski made no mistake second time round and, after Leon Goretzka saw a goal disallowed by VAR for a Muller handball, Robben lashed home in the closing stages to make the points safe.

“The penalty was rightly repeated, Arjen ran in too early and scored the goal. But Hoffenheim were too early in the box,” Kimmich added. “What I would be interested in would be what happens if Hoffenheim clears the ball, but we are not too early with a man in the penalty area, if there would have been a repetition. 

“The second time Thomas Muller moves the ball towards goal with the hand. At the board meeting we were told that an offensive handball would be punished sooner. I think had that happened to a defender and the ball goes to the post, there would have been no penalty. I can also talk easily because we won. If it had been the 3-2, which was not given, I would have been annoyed.”