Kim Min-jae (29, Bayern Munich) will soon play again. Director Max Eberl refuted that he had overworked Kim Min-jae and announced his return.

The German edition of 'Sky Sports' reported on the 13th (Korea time) that "Eberl mentioned all issues, including potential sale candidates. He spoke about Florian Wirtz, Leroy Sané, Jonathan Tah, Kim Min-jae, and others," during a press conference held ahead of the FIFA Club World Cup.

According to the media, Director Eberl denied criticisms that he did not protect Kim Min-jae from injury risks. He stated, "Kim Min-jae is having some difficulties with an Achilles tendon injury. However, we have not allowed him to play to the extent that it would jeopardize his health. We have always controlled everything."

Eberl then noted, "Now Kim Min-jae says he really wants to get healthy. He will return to training in a few days," adding, "Then the competition will intensify. There are Dayot Upamecano, Tah, Josip Stanisic, and Hiroki Ito. Our defense is very well organized. Kim Min-jae will have to compete to win his place."

Kim Min-jae has played through injuries this season. He has played 43 matches for Bayern in all competitions, totaling 3,593 minutes, and has participated in 2,289 minutes in the league alone. He has the second most playing time on the team after Joshua Kimmich.

The reason the controversy over Kim Min-jae's overwork has emerged is that he has been playing with an Achilles tendon injury for more than six months. He has been playing with pain since last October, and even when he needed rest, he could not rest properly due to the numerous injuries of his teammates.

As a result, Bayern has regained the Meisterschale (Bundesliga championship trophy) that they lost to Bayer Leverkusen last season. Kim Min-jae also became the first Korean player to win in two of Europe's top five leagues. He lifted the Serie A championship trophy with Napoli in the 2022-2023 season and succeeded in winning the Bundesliga as well.

However, Kim Min-jae's physical condition is still not normal. He has developed a cyst on his left foot and has been missing since winning was confirmed at the end of the season, but he is still focused on rehabilitation.

Above all, Bayern is considering parting ways with Kim Min-jae due to the numerous mistakes made in the second half of the season. If a suitable offer is received from the board, they wish to send him abroad. They have already completed the signing of another national team center back.

However, it is not taken into account that Kim Min-jae has played excessively close to overwork. He became "an icon of overwork" to the point that the International Federation of Professional Footballers (FIFPro) expressed concern last April. It is known that he had to play while receiving painkillers due to Achilles tendonitis.

At that time, FIFPro focused on Kim Min-jae under the title "The swirling vortex of overwork intensifies for Kim Min-jae," stating, "Since the beginning of the season, Kim Min-jae has been suffering from Achilles tendonitis and has been playing in games. It is an overload injury related to excessive playing time."

For this reason, Hong Myung-bo, head coach of the South Korean national soccer team, made a determined statement. He pointed out that, since Kim Min-jae could not join the national team for the March A match due to the effects of his injury, "It is a bit disappointing that Bayern Munich should have taken preventive measures to protect the player. There have been continuous signals regarding Kim Min-jae's injury risk."

'Bavarian Football' also empathized with Coach Hong Myung-bo's criticism. The media noted, "It seems to be a sharp criticism of Kompany. It is a reasonable argument. There were plenty of opportunities to let Kim Min-jae rest," adding, "However, Kompany has worn out Kim Min-jae and Upamecano this season. If there had been a more cautious approach from Kompany and Kim Min-jae, perhaps this situation could have been avoided."

Nevertheless, the Bayern board continues to insist that they have managed Kim Min-jae's injuries well. From the perspective of Kim Min-jae and his supporting fans, it is hard not to feel resentful.

For now, Kim Min-jae is expected to return to the pitch soon. He has already moved to the United States, where the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup will be held, to get back in shape. Bayern is placed in Group C along with Auckland City (Australia), Boca Juniors (Argentina), and Benfica (Portugal) in this tournament.

However, the future beyond that remains uncertain. Bayern is pushing for the sale of Kim Min-jae. He is connected with clubs such as Liverpool and Chelsea in the Premier League, and Juventus, AC Milan, Inter Milan, and clubs in Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia also strongly desires Kim Min-jae. According to local media, Al Nassr, which has Cristiano Ronaldo, has prepared the 50 million euros (approximately 78.7 billion won) demanded by Bayern. Backed by oil money, Saudi Arabia can match Kim Min-jae's high salary unlike other European clubs.

[Photo] ⓒGettyImages (Unauthorized reproduction and redistribution prohibited), FIFPro, Sky Sports, Bayern Munich social media.

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