Bayern hungry to win DFB-Pokal from Stuttgart
Joshua Kimmich says there is more to Bayern Munich's success than winning titles, but that does not take away his desire to beat Stuttgart in the DFB-Pokal final.
Bayern is in the showpiece for the first time in six years since beating Bayer Leverkusen 4-2 in the 2020 final.
It is its longest drought between finals in the competition since a 12-year wait between 1986 and 1998, but Bayern is determined to add to its Bundesliga title this season with a 21st DFB-Pokal success.
"From the outside, it is the titles that count," Kimmich said.
"In the past few years, we have been consistent at a high level. We will try to win it, but I will not judge a season based on just one match.
"Whether we win or lose is something we can influence to a certain extent, but I'm not measuring success just by titles.
"But when you look back in 10 years' time, you want to have won as many titles as possible. So, we'll give it our all."
While Bayern is playing in its 25th final, Stuttgart is playing in its eighth, having won four of the previous seven, including last season's, when it beat Arminia Bielefeld 4-2.
However, two of the other three such matches have come against Bayern, with Stuttgart losing 5-2 in 1986 and 3-2 in 2013.
"We'll need an extraordinary performance, and we're determined to take this last step,"head coach Sebastian Hoeness said.
"We got a taste for it, and you could feel that throughout our entire cup run.
"We qualified for the [UEFA] Champions League via the Bundesliga, we've handled high-pressure situations, and now we can achieve something wonderful in the DFB Cup final."
Bayern coach Vincent Kompany will not be offering any verdict on his team's season until after the final.
"Obviously I knew this question [of a season assessment] would come," Kompany said.
"But at the moment it is not important to evaluate the season. Tomorrow we are playing a final.
"There will be an opinion by everyone but first we have to put on our boots and play tomorrow."
Kompany has won back-to-back league titles in his first two seasons at Bayern with his team shattering the league record for most goals in a season this year.
Victory in Berlin on Sunday (AEST) would also ease the frustration from its UEFA Champions League exit at the hands of Paris Saint-Germain.
"I have the certainty that [whatever the result] it won't affect my motivation for the future. But I really want a win tomorrow. That's the only thing that counts, not the analysis."
