Is Kim Minjae a pushover? "Lack of communication + Urgent defense" Despite KIM's scoreless performance, will the 獨 media be able to..."Completion of the task with confidence" Some compliments also appear

Sep 02, 2024

The evaluation of Kim Min-jae was mixed. However, despite Kim Min-jae's performance, some media seemed to have little intention of telling good stories.

Kim Min-jae started in the second round of the Bundesliga against SC Freiburg in the 2024-2025 season at Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany on the 2nd (Korea time). Bayern Munich won 2-0 with Kim Min-jae's performance.

Kim Min-jae showed light physical movement in the defense of the game. In the 33rd minute of the first half, it was difficult to find anxiety in the pass, such as connecting the ball neatly from left to right Gnabry with a sharp long pass. He also defended his team's lead through defense. In the 44th minute of the first half, Kim Min-jae returned to the defense quickly before opposing striker Doan caught the ball first, blocking the ball and delivering it to Neuer. In the 18th minute of the second half, Kim Min-jae also showed an intense performance of jumping and clearing it as soon as the opponent's cross was put into the box.

Bayern easily secured the victory with Kim Min-jae's performance, Harry Kane's first penalty goal and Thomas Muller's additional goal. It was different from the previous dramatic come-from-behind victory against Wolfsburg.

Kim Min-jae played full-time in the game, contributing greatly to both defense and build-up by recording 115 pass successes, 95% pass success rate, 5 clearings, 6 ball ownership recoveries, and 7 ball competitions.

However, the German media still had doubts about Kim Min-jae's performance. Germany's SPOX gave a rating of 3 points, which is a level of compliance within the team, but 'Kim Min-jae did not make serious mistakes, and was generally cautious and dedicated. However, he sometimes pointed out that he was too committed when he hurriedly defended against an opponent in the center line.

Germany's Avent Zeitung also gave Kim Min-jae four points, the lowest rating in the team, and 'There were some mistakes, but he remained in the starting lineup. It is similar to Upamecano, who has problems starting the game, and Kim Min-jae should be more stable. Sport in Germany also caused tension in Kim Min-jae at times with a rating of 3 points. He acted irregularly in relation to the ball and revealed a lack of communication with colleagues. However, he mentioned his regret and performance at the same time, saying that he won several competitions over time.

Germany's RAN showed some anxiety, along with an average rating of 3, but made no mistake. Against a much stronger team, he showed good blocking after the half-time break and improved his skills. Despite Kim Min-jae's scoreless performance, German media rarely evaluated only his performance, and they did not leave out some shortcomings.

In particular, German Bild's evaluation was harsh. Bild criticized Kim Min-jae with a rating of four, saying, `There have always been minor mistakes in the play, and there have been shaking in the position play.'

The reason why the German media expressed doubts is simple. It seems to be the aftermath of Kim Min-jae's poor performance in the last game. Kim Min-jae started the opening match of the Bundesliga in 2024-2025 against Wolfsburg, but played 81 minutes, showing an unusual appearance with a 79% pass success rate, one intercept, two ball ownership recoveries, zero tackles, and 50% competition success rate.

Along with the sluggishness, there were also shocking errors. In the 10th minute of the second half, a back pass to Manuel Neuer was caught by Beamer to escape the pressure of opposing striker Patrick Beamer. The ball then passed through Beamer to Lobro Mayer, leading to Wolfsburg's comeback goal. If Bayern failed to overturn the game, Kim Min-jae would have been pointed out as the main culprit of the defeat.

Criticism against Kim Min-jae was strong. The German media all criticized Kim Min-jae by giving him the lowest rating. Germany's TZ rated Kim Min-jae the lowest with a rating of five and was lucky when he lost the ball with a dangerous dribble, but Wolfsburg failed to take advantage. But his luck ran out in the 55th minute.

Coach Bang Sang Kompany and captain Manuel Neuer surrounded him, but fans did not stop criticizing him. Some fans say "He's for sale in Asia". "We need to send him to the second team. There is a need for a new recruitment,' he said without hiding his negative reaction.

However, there were also German media who praised Kim Min-jae because he was certain to have played an active part in this game. Germany's Bavarian Football gives Kim the title of `Kaiser (Emperor)' and looks like a born-again player from a flurry of mistakes. He showed that power, speed and pass are all powerful. He also heroically blocked a shot from the centre of the Bayern box. He praised his performance, saying, 'This dramatic recovery despite his last poor temper is a demonstration of not only his physical strength but also his mental strength.

In the aftermath of the opening match shock error, it may be difficult to avoid negative reactions from the German media for the time being. However, Kim Min-jae also needs time to prove, so his steady performance early this season is expected to be important.

digh1229@sportschosun.com