It is literally the worst club.
On the 14th (Korea time), Germany's Kicker reported that "Kim Min-jae is working hard on his rehabilitation with his Bayern Munich teammates, but it seems he will not be able to return until after July." This effectively confirms that he will not participate in the Club World Cup, which is increasing criticism of Bayern for forcibly calling him up.
Kim Min-jae has been revealed to have played matches while dealing with an Achilles injury since the match against Eintracht Frankfurt in October of last year. Nevertheless, he managed to play 43 matches for the team. His recovery has been slow even during the winter break. Despite this, he returned to the starting lineup under the management of Vincent Kompany.
However, immediately after the March A-match, Dayo Upamecano and Hiroki Ito were successively ruled out for the season, leaving Kim Min-jae to support the defense virtually alone. He played a total of 3,593 minutes across all competitions, which is the highest playing time among Bayern's defenders.
Key players Upamecano (1,761 minutes) and Alphonso Davies (1,561 minutes) were already ruled out for the season early on. Kim Min-jae held his position until Bayern confirmed their Bundesliga championship, and only then was he granted a break. Nonetheless, claims have emerged that Kim Min-jae struggled towards the end of the season.
In fact, Bayern is consistently preparing to sell Kim Min-jae due to his reported struggles. Especially after acquiring Jonathan Tah, they have been attempting to offload Kim Min-jae. However, as several teams have shown interest in Kim Min-jae, they have shown a somewhat inconsistent attitude, raising their asking price instead.
Bayern has no time to rest. On the 10th, they flew to the United States for training to participate in the Club World Cup. Bayern is scheduled to play their first match of the tournament against Auckland City at 1 a.m. on the 16th. Ahead of this match, Bayern's Director General, Max Eberl, denied rumors of Kim Min-jae being overworked.
Eberl, the Director General, said, "Kim Min-jae has been struggling quite a bit with his Achilles injury and has been suffering from this issue for a long time. Although it has spread externally that he pushed his health too hard, we have not gone that far." He added, "I believe we have managed the situation well, and now Kim Min-jae is saying he wants to 'fully recover.' He is expected to resume training and rejoin the team in a few days," claiming that Bayern is not responsible for Kim Min-jae's injury.
However, contrary to the Director General's assertions, it is hard to see Kim Min-jae's presence. Kicker reported, "Center back Kim Min-jae, who has been suffering from an Achilles injury for a long time, is preparing to return. However, his participation in the Club World Cup remains uncertain," stating that "unlike the Director General's comments, Kim Min-jae is still struggling with his Achilles problem."
Kicker explained, "According to our report, it is unlikely that Kim Min-jae will return to the game quickly. According to our investigation, he is expected to be able to play again as early as next month in July. His participation in the Club World Cup is currently very uncertain. His physical condition is gradually improving, but for the time being, he intends to focus on rehabilitation with the team."
Earlier on the 14th, Bayern announced the opening of the Club World Cup through its official social media, posting a poster featuring Harry Kane, Thomas Müller, Jamal Musiala, and Kim Min-jae together. Ironically, it exposed Bayern's chaotic medical management, as Kim Min-jae appears unlikely to participate.
Currently, the most important thing for Kim Min-jae is to recover his health. His future situation remains uncertain. Eberl, the Director General, stated, "With Upamecano, Kim Min-jae, and Tah included, along with Stanisic and Ito, we have 4 to 5 center backs. The defensive lineup is very solid. Kim Min-jae must secure his position amid this competition."
Kicker noted, "If a suitable offer arrives, Kim Min-jae could be a transfer target. Several clubs have already expressed interest. It remains uncertain what choice Kim Min-jae will make after a complete recovery. However, right now, 'health' is the priority above all else."
Kim Min-jae's current situation symbolically highlights how far Bayern Munich has come in terms of 'player expendability.' Despite playing for the team while enduring Achilles pain since October of last year, he essentially bore the entire responsibility of the defense towards the end of the season. Yet, immediately after the season ended, instead of a break, he was forcibly included in the Club World Cup roster.
The club's attitude of placing only the face of an injured player undergoing rehabilitation on a poster, making it seem like he can participate, shows that he has become merely a means of 'brand marketing.' The bigger problem is the wordplay from the higher-ups in the club. A prime example is Eberl denying the overwork claims regarding Kim Min-jae.
However, claiming that they 'well managed the health' of a player who recorded the most playing time of the season amid defensive injuries is merely an evasion of responsibility that ignores reality. Kim Min-jae's recovery speed has already slowed since last winter, and even a return in July is uncertain. At this point, where foreign media are also expressing concern, the Director General's statements appear to be far removed from reality.
[OSEN]