Kim Min-jae (28, Bayern Munich) finally captured the heart of Germany’s “kicker.”
Bayern Munich drew 1-1 with Bayer 04 Leverkusen in the fifth round of the Bundesliga in the 2024-2025 season at 1:30 a.m. on the 29th (Korea Standard Time) at Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany.
Bayern, which had its first draw of the season, maintained its league lead with 13 points (four wins, one draw). Leverkusen ranked third in the league with 10 points (three wins, one draw and one loss).
It was a fierce battle. Bayern played a dominant game overall, but Leverkusen’s defense was also solid. The first goal was up to Leverkusen. In the 31st minute of the first half, the ball flowed out of the box with a corner kick. Robert Andrich connected it with a powerful mid-range shot, and the ball shook the net as it was.
Bayern quickly balanced it. It was a fantastic mid-range shot again. In the 39th minute of the first half, Michael Olise’s cross was cleared by defense, and Aleksandar Pavlovic, who caught it from outside the box, fired a powerful mid-range shot. The ball was bent outward and was sucked into the goal of Leverkusen.
Bayern more aggressively knocked on Leverkusen’s goal, but failed to earn any money. Serge Gnabry’s two shots hit the post in a row in the third minute of the second half. In the end, the two teams no longer penetrated each other’s defense and shared one point by one.
“The match was dominated by Bayern, but the draw was a fair result. It was reminiscent of a boxing match between two heavyweight boxers,” Kicker commented after the match. 메이저사이트
Kim Min-jae, who had been criticized harshly, was also left with a compliment for some reason. “The center back duo consisting of Upamecano and Kim Min-jae, who made frequent mistakes last season, showed excellent performances,” the kicker said. “Both players were very stable and the timing was excellent.” It was the opposite of what he criticized a few days ago, saying, “Kim Min-jae lacked pass quality and ball guard.”
He also tied for first in Bayern with two points in grading. “[Kim Min-jae] displayed firm and meticulous defense. He was also strong in competition for tackles and balls in the air. Through his performance, he erased the question marks about his class,” the kicker said in a similar assessment to other German media.
In fact, Kim actively elevated to a high position on the day to block Leverkusen’s attack. While playing full-time, Kim had 92 percent pass success rate (84/91), two interceptions, seven ball recoveries, 75 percent ground ball competition rate (3/4) and 50 percent aerial ball competition (4/8). He pitched the final third ball as many as 14 times.
Kim Min-jae is back as a monster under Coach Bang Sang Kompany. Sport and TZ also picked Kim as Bayern’s best player.
Sport said, “In the first half, I didn’t have much to blame myself for. I showed concentration and didn’t make any big mistakes. Upamecano had to ask him for a space in the back once or twice. When the opponent made a long pass, he enjoyed moving forward like a torpedo and intercepted the opponent’s pass at the center line. That’s exactly how Coach Bang Sang Kompany wanted to do it,” giving him a rating of 1.5 points.
TZ gave Kim two points. Media outlets said, “We had to secure a stable position, but we had to engage in a bit rough competition against Leverkusen. He was also excited by the referee’s decision. He blocked Leverkusen’s attack attempts several times, exuding the confidence that his team needed in defense throughout the game.”
Meanwhile, Kim Min-jae cited Kompany’s detailed coaching as his secret. According to Kylian Kreitmeyer, a reporter for “Avent Zeitung,” Kim explained about this season’s performance in the mixed zone after the game, “He explains in much more detail what he wants. I can do well because the whole team is doing well.”