Praise poured in for Kim Min-jae (29, Bayern Munich).

On the 6th (Korean time), Bayern Munich recorded a 3-0 victory against Bayer Leverkusen in the first leg of the Round of 16 of the 2024-2025 season UEFA Champions League at the Fußball Arena Munich in Munich, Germany.

Bayern, welcoming the strong Leverkusen at home, took control of the game from the early stages, achieving an overwhelming victory by a margin of three goals. This situation puts them in a more advantageous position ahead of the second leg.

Bayern utilized a 4-2-3-1 formation. At the forefront, Harry Kane was placed, while Kingsley Coman, Jamal Musiala, and Michael Olise started as the second line. The midfield was manned by Leon Goretzka and Joshua Kimmich, and the back four consisted of Alphonso Davies, Kim Min-jae, Dayot Upamecano, and Konrad Laimer. Manuel Neuer guarded the goal.

In response, Leverkusen also adopted the same tactics. Amin Sardar led the attack, while Alejandro Grimaldo, Florian Wirtz, and Jeremie Frimpong were placed in the second line. The midfield was handled by Ezequiel Palacios and Granit Xhaka, and the back four consisted of Piero Incapie, Mario Hermoso, Jonathon Ta, and Nordi Mukiele. Maciej Korbasi guarded the goal.

A crisis arose just five minutes into the match. Kim Min-jae collapsed after a clash with Frimpong, injuring his ankle. He complained of pain for a while but soon got back up and re-entered the game.

Bayern quickly recorded the opening goal. In the 9th minute of the first half, Olise's cross from the right flank was met with a header by Kane, shaking the net.

Leverkusen also launched a counterattack. In the 14th minute of the first half, Frimpong intercepted Upamecano’s back pass mistake and linked it to a shot, but Neuer made a save, overcoming the crisis.

Bayern had several additional goal opportunities. In the 22nd minute of the first half, Musiala attempted a header from a corner kick but struck the crossbar, and in the 31st minute, Kimmich took a long-range shot from outside the box that just missed the goal.

The first half concluded with Bayern leading 1-0.

Bayern continued their momentum into the second half. In the 9th minute of the second half, a cross from Kimmich was poorly handled by goalkeeper Korbasi, losing the ball, which Musiala calmly finished, expanding the lead to 2-0.

However, Bayern faced a variable as well. In the 13th minute of the second half, goalkeeper Neuer requested a substitution due to discomfort, and Jonas Urbig was brought in as his replacement.

Afterwards, Leverkusen encountered a misfortune. In the 17th minute of the second half, Mukiele, who had already received a yellow card, committed a foul while interfering with Coman and received a second warning, resulting in his dismissal.

Bayern immediately scored an additional goal. In the 18th minute of the second half, during a corner kick situation, Tapsoba pulled Kane down, and after VAR review, a penalty kick was awarded. Kane, stepping up as the kicker, calmly converted to make it 3-0.

Bayern called Kim Min-jae and Goretzka to the bench in the 44th minute of the second half, bringing in Eric Dier and João Palhinha to manage their stamina. Although six minutes of added time were given, the match ended in a complete victory for Bayern.

Despite suffering an ankle injury early in the game, Kim Min-jae displayed fighting spirit until the end. He recorded a high pass success rate (89%, 41/46), made 4 clearances, 3 ball recoveries, and completed 9 passes in the attacking area, asserting his presence not only in defense but also during the buildup.

Kim Min-jae has recently complained of Achilles tendon pain and played in this match while facing the risk of injury, but he completed the game, playing an important role in Bayern's victory.

German media, witnessing such performances, poured in praise. 'TZ' noted, "He collapsed early in the game after a tackle but took a short break for treatment. He resumed play and showcased impressive performances with a strong presence, continuously finding and consolidating passes for his fellow wingers, liberating the team from pressure." He received a rating of 1 point. German outlets generally rate players on a scale of 1 to 6, with 1 being the best.

'AZ' also gave him a high score of 2 points. The outlet praised, "He consistently performed well recently and started as the left center-back in this match. He received treatment early in the game but was able to continue playing. He appeared completely confident."

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