"Who should we include then, besides him?"
Bayern Munich reported the contents of the interview between Coach Kompany and Kane on the 16th (Korea time) through the club's official website. The two attended a press conference ahead of the UEFA Champions League (UCL) quarterfinal second leg against Inter Milan on the morning of the 17th at 4 a.m. local time at the Giuseppe Meazza Stadium in Milan.
The discussion about Kim Min-jae was unavoidable. He made a painful mistake against Dortmund in the 'Der Klassiker' on the 13th. In the 3rd minute of the second half, he lost track of the opposing striker Maximilian Beier’s movements, allowing the opening goal. Following that, Coach Kompany brought in Kim Min-jae and assigned left-back Josip Stanisic to the center-back position.
After the match, criticism poured in against Kim Min-jae. Max Eberl, the director, also noted, "It was a mistake. Kim Min-jae lost track of his opponent. Up until that point, he had been playing a very good game against Serou Guirassy. But he will know well about the goal conceded. Kim Min-jae is also not at 100% condition like all the other players at the end of the season. However, that doesn’t mean he can't be fielded."
'Sky Sports Germany' also pointed out that Kim Min-jae makes too many mistakes. The outlet reported, "Kim Min-jae has only shown a limited version of himself from his time at Napoli at Bayern. He has played 77 games in a Bayern jersey, but he hasn't provided the stability expected in his second season. He committed six mistakes leading to goals this season."
Additionally, Sky Sports added, "As of now, Kim Min-jae ranks first among center-backs in the top five leagues and UCL for the number of mistakes leading to goals (6 times). Saint-Etienne's Michael Nadé, Monaco's Mohammed Salisu, and Southampton's Taylor Harwood-Bellis are tied for second place with four mistakes each, while Borussia Dortmund's Emre Can ranks fifth with three mistakes."
News has also emerged that Kim Min-jae could leave Bayern. Sky Sports reported, "Bayern is open to offers! Kim Min-jae can leave," adding, "Kim Min-jae is no longer a player that Bayern cannot sell. If an offer commensurate with his value comes in, Bayern is willing to engage in discussions."
There are also forecasts that Kim Min-jae could be pushed to the bench. The outlet remarked, "Kim Min-jae struggled in the match against Dortmund. This isn’t the first time we’ve seen that this season. Kompany immediately substituted him after noticing his positional mistakes, and Eberl publicly criticized Kim Min-jae. Is Kim Min-jae at risk of sitting on the bench in such an important match against Inter?"
However, Coach Kompany denied the rumors. When the discussion about Kim Min-jae arose again, he stated, "I have already explained clearly. The goals conceded are not just the issue of one player. We have faced several frustrations due to injuries to players, and sometimes the squad is very small. However, we always have the energy to create opportunities, maintain a positive attitude, and perform well in important matches."
Moreover, Coach Kompany emphasized, "I will never publicly criticize an individual player. If I need to say something to a player, I will tell them directly, and teammates will learn from that player. We cannot afford the luxury of excluding players right now. I know that it can sometimes be interesting to look at those aspects in this sport, but this is my team. I trust both my team and our players."
For Kim Min-jae, who may leave Bayern after two years, the only option is to prove himself through performance. He needs to deliver a solid defense against Inter to save Bayern, which is facing the threat of elimination from the UCL. Bayern lost the first leg 1-2 at home last week. To reach the semifinals, they need to win by at least two goals, as conceding a goal could lead to elimination.
Lothar Matthäus criticized Kim Min-jae for his lack of focus but acknowledged that his situation is not easy. In an analysis program held ahead of the UCL second leg against Inter, Matthäus pointed out, "With Upamecano and Davies missing, making significant changes to the defense is not possible. No matter how many mistakes Kim Min-jae makes, he is an irreplaceable player."
Matthäus remarked, "Even if Kim Min-jae makes mistakes, it would actually be worse to replace him with another player. Of course, Kim Min-jae is a player who makes mistakes often. But substituting him for another player because he makes mistakes would actually be worse."
Although Matthäus often criticizes Kim Min-jae's mistakes, he ultimately acknowledged that it is an unavoidable situation. He stated, "If it were up to me, I would never substitute Kim Min-jae or reorganize the entire center defense. I would set up the defense with Stanisic, Kim Min-jae, Eric Dier, and Konrad Laimer."
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