On the 15th matchday of the Bundesliga, Julian Nagelsmann did something that he hadn't done on the first 14 matchdays: He came on as a substitute for Marc Roca, the midfielder from Spain, whom he had not played a minute before as coach of Bayern Munich.
It was 1: 1 in the home game against Mainz when he replaced the ailing substitute Corentin Tolisso with the substitute Roca.
With him, Munich landed one more goal in close combat against Mainz (2-1 win through goals from Kingsley Coman and Jamal Musiala) and one in long-range combat against Dortmund (six-point lead in the table).
And yet Roca and Tolisso were even on the game day they were allowed to play in the shadow of the player they were supposed to replace: Joshua Kimmich.
Christopher Meltzer
Sports correspondent in Munich.
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On Sunday, ZDF broadcast an interview with Kimmich in which the national player announced that he would now be vaccinated against the corona virus. "In general, it was difficult for me to deal with my fears and concerns, which is why I was undecided for so long," says Kimmich, who is no longer due to the consequences of a corona infection - slight infiltration in the lungs - for the rest of the year Will play soccer. And he also says: “Of course it would have been better to get vaccinated earlier.” It is not yet clear when he wants to do that (according to the Robert Koch Institute, this is not possible until four weeks after the symptoms have ceased). One thing for it: In the Kimmich case, after almost seven weeks, the turning point occurred, which not only FC Bayern wanted.
Kimmich and his previous decision against the vaccination have been discussed almost continuously in Munich and Germany since he made it public in a Sky interview on October 23.
Before that, however, he had come under pressure from a report in the "Bild" newspaper about his vaccination status.
That led to the Sky interview - and the explanation for his decision: "Because I personally have concerns about the lack of long-term studies." A personal matter suddenly turned into a public one.
And from a role model for some even an enemy image.
"The bad conscience is there"
There were of course good reasons to contradict Kimmich - and many people from many disciplines who did that too.
They referred to scientific and moral arguments, to probabilities and solidarity, to the overworked intensive care units, in which overworked doctors and nurses mainly fought for the survival of unvaccinated people.
One could also ask: Why do top athletes, masters of body optimization, not want to be protected against a virus that can steal the body's strength?
And one could question: Is Joshua Kimmich, the model student of German football, actually still suitable for the role that most fans have given him: to become the next captain of the national team?