It looks like Kim Min-jae is going through growing pains.
Bayern Munich drew 2-2 with RB Leipzig in the 6th round of the 2023-24 German Bundesliga, held at the Red Bull Arena in Leipzig, Germany, at 1:30 a.m. on the 1st (Korean time). Munich, with one point, became third.스포츠토토
The game was tight. Munich conceded the first goal to Royce Offenda in the first half and then gave up an additional goal to Castello Rückeva, ending the first half tied 0-2. Fortunately, Harry Kane and Leroy Sane scored in the second half to bring the game back to square one. Munich pledged revenge, but had to be satisfied with returning home with one point in the enemy’s territory.
Although they barely gained one point, Munich’s defense, which gave up two goals in the first half alone, could not avoid criticism. On this day, Munich selected Alphonso Davis, Minjae Kim, and Dayot Upamecano as starters as usual. The right fullback was played by Konrad Reimer, not Nusair Mazraoui. Kim Min-jae and Upamecano were established as Munich’s center back line this season, but their performance against Leipzig was evaluated as disappointing.
In particular, it is pointed out as a disappointment that Kim Min-jae, who returned from injury, was not able to demonstrate his skills. Kim Min-jae missed the previous cup match due to a calf injury, but returned ahead of the Leipzig match. Kim Min-jae, who is performing well despite his title as a freshman, found it difficult to completely wash away the aftereffects of his injury.
Coach Tuchel also pointed out this. After the game, Coach Tuchel expressed regret, saying, “A lot of time was spent executing the plan and finding space. There were too many mistakes. The defense was also sloppy. Fortunately, things got better in the second half and we were able to come back.”
He went on to point out that Kim Min-jae and Upamecano’s judgment was wrong, saying, “There was no reason for Kim Min-jae to go out in a one-on-one situation. Upamecano also ran out and gave the opponent space. It was a completely different action from what we wanted to do.”
Looking back on Kim Min-jae’s records on this day, based on the soccer statistics media ‘Pot Mob’, Kim Min-jae made 106 passes (115 attempts), 2 long passes (5 attempts), 2 successful tackles (100%), 2 clearings, He recorded 2 interceptions, 11 recoveries, 2 successful ground duels (3 attempts), and 1 successful aerial duel (4 attempts). The rating is 7.3 points.
There was also criticism from Legend. Munich and Germany legend Lothar Matthaus said through Germany’s Sky Sports, “Kim Min-jae is still not what we expected. He is currently an unstable factor in Munich’s defense. Kim Min-jae needs to get used to the Bundesliga. Kim Min-jae “I’m not thinking negatively about the recruitment, but Kim Min-jae is currently not living up to expectations, unlike in the Italian Serie A,” he said, adding that Kim Min-jae needs to improve his performance even more.
These evaluations may feel harsh, considering that Kim Min-jae is in a physically difficult situation as he has played numerous games between his team and the national team. Minjae Kim has grown rapidly in recent seasons and has risen to the level of playing in the big leagues. His ability was outstanding before, but the problem was his experience. Because Kim Min-jae had no experience playing in a major league, he appeared tired after playing many games in Naples last season. Such physical ups and downs occurred due to a calf injury during the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
Minjae Kim entered his second season in the European big league. Moreover, this team is not a team that is challenging for the championship like Naples, but Munich, which has always reigned as the strongest team in Germany. As always, Munich is challenging not only to win the Bundesliga this season, but also to win the UEFA Champions League (UCL). This is why the physical and psychological burden that Minjae Kim will bear is bound to be great.
He is in growing pains. Kim Min-jae is still in his mid-20s, and considering his position where steady management and numerous experiences lead to skill, he is still a player with endless development potential. Kim Min-jae showed his best performance in Naples last season, but also showed difficulties due to the tight schedule, but he grew one step further last season. If Kim Min-jae overcomes his current difficulties, he will be able to show that he has risen one step higher.