It’s not a situation where you can stay if you want to stay. After a full season of dedication, the club is considering dumping Kim Min-jae (27, Bayern Munich) after his recent poor form.
Florian Platenberg, a reporter for Bayern Munich’s news organization, reported on Kim’s precarious position. “Bayern Munich will be looking for a center back next season. One of the four central defenders they currently have will leave,” he said, adding that ‘either Kim Min-jae or Dayo Upamecano will be the target.’
Kim could be on his way out less than a year after pulling on a Bayern Munich shirt. His departure was triggered by a poor performance in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals against Real Madrid. The mistakes in the first leg are beyond words. Suddenly tasked with being the last line of defense and shutting down the Real Madrid attack, they made a series of fatal mistakes.
Real Madrid recognized Kim Min-jae’s defensive style and went for the kill. Kim’s defensive approach of reading opponents’ passes and movements and intercepting them beforehand has helped him rise to the top of the game. Especially at Napoli, Kim’s challenging defense had a high success rate. When he was out of the game, Stanislav Lobotka, a defensive and active player, was ready to take his place. In fact, it’s not an exaggeration to say that the defense was centered around him.
Tuchel doesn’t want his center backs to go forward much. Therefore, he doesn’t react the same way as Napoli. Tuchel stuck to a zone defense, and the defensive midfielders stayed in their positions instead of covering for Kim Min-jae when he was out of position. If Kim was not able to get the ball, it would lead to a critical goal scoring situation.
Tuchel wanted Kim to change his style rather than tinker with his tactics, but when Kim tried to play adventurous defense when it mattered most, conceding a goal and a last-minute penalty, Tuchel was quick to point fingers rather than protect his players. “You can’t play defense like that. If you win the ball, it’s fine, but if you don’t, you shouldn’t go forward. He was too greedy and took it easy on defense,” he criticized.
Bayern Munich president Herbert Heynckes also weighed in. “I wish Kim Min-jae would be calm and cautious sometimes,” he said, “I wish he would play defense behind the opponent. He shouldn’t try to get in front of the opponent and slow him down.”
Kim Min-jae’s position at Bayern Munich has narrowed as criticism continues to mount. There are even speculations that he could leave Bayern Munich this summer. After being pushed out of the starting lineup in the second half of the season, Kim said he would stay and compete for a starting spot, but after his 토토 performance against Real Madrid, he now has to worry about whether he will be allowed to stay.
It’s not the first time this has happened. Last week, FCB Insider reported, “Bayern Munich has put Kim Min-jae on the sale list. His reputation has been damaged by his mistake in the semifinals, and he will consider a move to any team that can offer 50 million euros (approximately KRW 73 billion).” That’s what Bayern Munich paid for Kim when they bought him from Napoli.
Things didn’t go his way. Even after falling down the pecking order in the second half of the season, he has shown his intention to stay and compete for a starting spot. Earlier this month, Sport Bild reported, “Napoli are interested in bringing Kim back. However, Kim Min-jae is not thinking about a move.”
Platenberg, who broke the story of the release, also said earlier, “Kim Min-jae is now the third center back. He is not happy with this situation. However, he is not considering a move in the summer.” ‘He wants to prove next season why Bayern Munich signed him, and he feels comfortable in the city and at the club,’ Platenberg explained.
The good news is that he has the trust of his teammates. Goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, the captain, said: “Kim’s performance against Real Madrid wasn’t bad. He usually plays well. His recent poor form doesn’t mean that it will continue in the next game.”