Thanks to Kim Min-jae, Eric Dier overcame a crisis of conceding a goal and was cheeky.

Bayern Munich won 3-1 against Augsburg in the '2024-2025 Bundesliga Round 28' held at WWK Arena in Augsburg, Germany, on the 5th. With 68 points, Bayern (21 wins, 5 draws, 2 losses) is leading the league.

Recently, Kim Min-jae has displayed fighting spirit despite injuries. With his Achilles tendon not in good condition, Kim Min-jae also suffered from back pain and cold symptoms. Despite the injuries, Kim Min-jae started and played the full match. Paired with Eric Dier as center back, Kim Min-jae was a key player in Bayern's defense.

Dier made a mistake, and Kim Min-jae cleaned up. In the 45th minute, with Bayern leading 3-1, Kim Min-jae overcame a threat of conceding. Dier's defensive error allowed the opponent a chance in front of the goal. Kim Min-jae quickly intervened to block the shot, executing a crucial defensive play.

Angry, Kim Min-jae showed leadership by signaling to his fellow defenders to focus. On this day, Kim Min-jae recorded a passing accuracy of 94% (77 attempts). He also won 3 out of 5 aerial duels. His defensive excellence is evident with 1 interception, 4 clearances, and 1 successful tackle.

Kim Min-jae's excellence is revealed through statistics. The football site 'Footmob' rated Kim Min-jae with a score of 7.7. This was the second best rating among defenders, following Stanisic's 8.1.

The media also recognized Kim Min-jae's performance. After the match, Germany's 'Bavarian Football Works' awarded Kim Min-jae the 'Kaiser,' given to the player with the most outstanding performance. The newspaper noted, "Kim Min-jae took on the responsibility of leading the defense despite being injured. He perfectly carried out his role," referring to him as the Kaiser.

Dier's interview, having overcome the crisis thanks to Kim Min-jae, was unexpected. After the match, Dier said, "There’s no pressure at all. I train hard every day and prepare for the matches. The game is the result of that preparation. That’s how I live my life."

Bayern's defense has crumbled due to injuries. Dayot Upamecano and Alphonso Davies returned to Bayern with injuries during the international match period. Notably, Davies has torn his knee ligament and has been ruled out for the season. Moreover, Hitoki Ito, who came on as a substitute in the St. Pauli match, has also been ruled out for at least three months. Three defenders are sidelined.

Moving forward, Bayern will rely entirely on Kim Min-jae. Bayern will face Inter Milan in the first leg of the Champions League quarterfinals on the 9th.

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