'Iron Wall' Kim Min-jae (29, Bayern Munich) made a major mistake.
Bayern Munich will face the home team Inter Milan in the second leg of the quarterfinals of the 2024-25 UEFA Champions League at 4 a.m. (Korea time) on the 17th at the Giuseppe Meazza in Milan, Italy. Munich is in a very unfavorable situation after losing the first leg 1-2 at home on the 9th. Munich needs to win by two goals to advance to the semifinals.
Ahead of the important match, starting center-back Kim Min-jae was unsettled, making a major mistake. Munich drew 2-2 with Dortmund on the 13th. The team added just one point, but Munich (69 points) still leads Bayer Leverkusen (63 points).
During the match, Kim Min-jae made a significant mistake. Partnered with Eric Dier in central defense, Kim Min-jae contributed to Munich's first goal conceded in the third minute of the second half, showing below-expectation performance. Ultimately, Kim Min-jae was substituted out for Raphael Guerreiro after only 54 minutes.
In the early stages of the match, Kim Min-jae showed a good performance by blocking opposing attacks. In the 39th minute of the first half, Kim Min-jae made a mistake by losing the ball. Fortunately, he overcame the crisis with a tackle.
The third minute of the second half was the problematic scene. Julian Ryerson sent in a cross. Kim Min-jae was in a better position than opposing striker Maximilian Beier but failed to clear the ball. Ultimately, Beier scored with a header, leading to Munich conceding a goal.
As a result, Kim Min-jae was substituted out in the ninth minute of the second half. Guerreiro, who came on for Kim Min-jae, scored the equalizer in the 20th minute. Four minutes later, Serge Gnabry scored a turnaround goal that erased Kim Min-jae's mistake. Munich allowed Anton to equalize again in the 30th minute of the second half. The match ended in a draw without a winning goal.
Kim Min-jae made a significant mistake. Assessments within Munich were also skeptical. Max Eberl, the Director General of Munich, pointed out, "The first goal conceded was the type that should not happen. We understand it as Kim Min-jae's mistake."
However, coach Vincent Kompany defended Kim Min-jae. Regarding Kim Min-jae's mistake, he said, "I don't want to explain it now. We have a deep squad. Several players have been absent, but I don't want to talk about it. Every player is important and necessary. Those currently on the field must deliver results and show good skills. Of course, it is not easy to always perform well," avoiding direct mention of the issue. This was because mentioning the mistake to the media could lower Kim Min-jae's morale.
Sky Sports commentator and Bayern Munich legend Lothar Matthäus criticized Kim Min-jae, saying, "Kim Min-jae moved away from the ball instead of towards it, making an inexplicable play."
Bild reported, "In the first half, the center-back duo of Kim Min-jae and Dier showed strength. In the third minute of the second half, Kim Min-jae's failure to contest the ball led to a goal conceded," assigning him a score close to the lowest rating with a 5.
With injuries piling up, Munich has no options other than to trust Kim Min-jae. Dayot Upamecano and Hiroki Ito are both out for the season. The only available central defenders are Kim Min-jae and Eric Dier. Kompany, a world-class defender himself, still has unwavering trust in Kim Min-jae.
Ultimately, Coach Kompany is again in a situation where he must trust Kim Min-jae for the match against Inter Milan. Inter Milan recognized Kim Min-jae's abilities and attempted to sign him on loan last season. Kim Min-jae, who played for Napoli, is familiar with Serie A attackers.
From Bayern Munich's perspective, who is targeting the championship, Kim Min-jae's stable defense is essential.
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