Due to Kim Min-jae's (Bayern Munich) physical condition, Bayern Munich has faced a significant test of its strength.

With the FIFA Club World Cup scheduled to be held in the United States in June, Bayern Munich is anxious about the participation of key defensive resources.

TZ reported on the 7th (Korean time) that "Kim Min-jae may not be able to participate in the tournament due to immigration issues."

The issue is that Kim Min-jae will have visited the Middle East while playing in the 2026 North and Central America World Cup Asian qualifiers against Iraq. Travel history to Middle Eastern countries can be a sensitive factor in U.S. immigration inspections, and there was a precedent where coach Xabi Hernandez was denied entry due to a visit to Iran.

TZ noted that, "As the Club World Cup is an international event, there is a possibility that exceptions may apply," but pointed out that "there are no clear entry criteria for participants of the Club World Cup established within the U.S. government." It is analyzed that while the possibility of entry is deemed high, it is a complex situation that lacks complete certainty.

Kim Min-jae is currently focused on recovering from an injury. Suffering from Achilles pain and issues with his ankle and back, he has recently been excluded from Bayern Munich's league match roster. Multiple German media reports stated that "Coach Vincent Kompany will rest Kim Min-jae for the remaining two matches," adding that this is a precautionary measure ahead of the Club World Cup.

This season, Kim Min-jae has played 27 matches in the Bundesliga and has been active as a starting defender. He played a central role in both build-up play and defensive organization, showing stable performances early in the season. However, injuries in the mid-season led to a decline in performance and frequent mistakes.

Despite the pain, he insisted on participating and even made a statement saying, "It’s better to break than to sit on the bench." The International Centre for Sports Studies (CIES) has rated him as one of the best center-backs in the world, but FIFPRO warned that excessive participation could negatively impact health.

Ultimately, the result of over-exertion led to mistakes. In the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals against Inter Milan and Borussia Dortmund, he committed consecutive defensive errors, which Director General Max Eberl publicly pointed out, saying, "Kim Min-jae’s mistakes led to conceding goals."

While the local German media is generally optimistic about Kim Min-jae's participation in the Club World Cup, Japanese media is highlighting a negative perspective. 'The World' claimed that "there is a possibility that Kim Min-jae's trip to the United States may be thwarted," adding that "with the absence of Japanese representative Hiroki Ito, Bayern Munich's defensive strength could collapse."

However, this report is evaluated to have intentionally omitted key details, such as the possibility of exceptions mentioned by TZ, while only emphasizing negative interpretations.

As the controversy continues, Kim Min-jae confirmed in an interview with 'Bild' that "I do not want to leave this team. I want to start next season in good health," firmly stating his intention to remain. In fact, the atmosphere within Bayern Munich is reported to be focused more on recovery and reorganization rather than transfers.

This season, Kim Min-jae achieved the valuable reward of the league title. Bayern Munich topped the table with an 8-point lead with two matches remaining, thanks to the draws between Bayer Leverkusen and Freiburg, achieving its 34th Bundesliga title and breaking the record for most titles in Germany.

For Kim Min-jae, this will be a significant trophy achieved in his first season on the European stage, and he will be recorded as an important member of Bayern Munich's championship streak. Although there were somewhat unstable moments in the second half of the season, his contributions over the entire season were by no means insignificant.

The situation of Kim Min-jae, compounded by injuries and over-exertion factors, has emerged as the biggest concern for Bayern Munich ahead of the Club World Cup. However, Kim Min-jae's determination to return remains strong, and the club is also taking a cautious approach to his recovery and reorganization.

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