Bayern Munich won 3-1 in the 8th round away game of the 2023-2024 German Bundesliga against Mainz held at the Meva Arena in Mainz, Germany on the 22nd (Korean time). They defeated Mainz 3-1. With this victory, Bayern went undefeated in eight games since the opening game. With 6 wins and 2 draws (20 points), they maintained 3rd place, following Leverkusen (22 points) and Stuttgart (21 points), which maintained the lead. Bayern’s rival Dortmund also reached the 20-point mark, but fell behind on goal difference and ended up in 4th place. On the other hand, Mainz continued their unexpected slump and fell to the bottom with 2 points (2 draws, 6 losses).스포츠토토

The match on this day was Kim Min-jae’s first Korean derby since his European debut. Kim Min-jae, who entered the European stage at Turkye Fenerbahce in the 2021-2022 season, later transferred to Naples in Italy for the 2022-2023 season. In all of them, there was no other Korean player besides Kim Min-jae. He has never experienced the Korean Derby. On this day, Kim Min-jae competed against Lee Jae-seong and played his first Korean derby. After playing a friendly match against Tunisia on the 17th, Kim Min-jae said, “I’m also looking forward to it. This is my first Korean derby, so I want to do well and win.” In particular, the game on this day was even more meaningful as coach Jürgen Klinsmann watched it in person.

It was just as Kim Min-jae said. He performed fantastically and overwhelmed Mainz. Bayern used a 4-2-3-1 formation on this day. Harry Kane was at the front line, and Leroy Janae, Jamal Musiala, and Kingsley Coman were in the second line. Joshua Kimmich and Leon Goretzka were in the center, and Alphonso Davis, Minjae Kim, Matthias Dericht, and Konrad Reimer formed the back four. Sven Ulreich guarded the goal. It was interesting that Dericht returned from injury and was paired with Kim Min-jae, and Manuel Neuer, who was absent for a long time due to a skiing injury, was expected to return that day, but was unable to play. Neuer recently returned to training and is completing normal training. Mainz presented a 3-4-2-1 lineup, led by Lee Jae-seong.

There was no repercussion from the A match for Kim Min-jae. Minjae Kim played 90 minutes and successfully completed 100% of aerial duels, 3 clearings, 2 interceptions, 1 tackle, and 1 shot block. What you should pay attention to is the passing record. On this day, Minjae Kim attempted 102 passes and succeeded in all 102 of them. It was 100%. He attempted three long passes and succeeded in all of them. It was literally a build-up monster.

Sofa Score gave Kim Min-jae a rating of 7.1 points. FootMob gave it 7.3 points, and WhoScored.com gave it 6.9 points. Among the defense teams, the score was ranked 1st or 2nd.

Minjae Kim has been performing very well recently. Kim Min-jae performed well in the 7th round of the 2023-2024 German Bundesliga season against SC Freiburg, which was held before his A-match break. Kim Min-jae came out as a starter that day and once again played the full game, leading to a scoreless victory. In 90 minutes on this day, Kim Min-jae recorded a pass success rate of 92%, 1 key pass, 2 long passes, 3 interceptions, 10 recoveries, and a 100% aerial ball win rate. He also received a rating of 8.3, ranking third in the team’s rating after Coman (9.2) and Sane (8.5), who scored. SofaScore also gave the defense the highest rating of 7.8 points. Alphonso Davis received 7.5 points, and Nusair Mazraoui and Upamecano received 7.3 points. In particular, Kim Min-jae blocked Freiburg winger Maximilian Philippe’s penetration into the box in the 3rd minute of the second half with a powerful fight, drawing a standing ovation from Bayern fans. Kim Min-jae clearly changed the mood toward him with his play that day, and clearly established his position as a key defender on the team.

What to pay attention to was the passing record. According to Opta, Kim Min-jae recorded the most passes in a single Bundesliga game this season. Minjae Kim completed a whopping 171 passes in the game against Freiburg. Opta reported, ‘This is the highest number since Leverkusen’s Aleksandar Dragovic scored 178 times against Düsseldorf in February 2019.’

‘Team of the Week’ was also swept. German media outlet 90min included Kim Min-jae in the defense along with Grimaldo (Leverkusen), Schlotterbeck (Dortmund), and Honorat (Mönchengladbach). Janet (Bayern Munich), Girassi (Stuttgart), and Coman (Bayern Munich) were named as the best 11 attackers, and Hoffmann (Leverkusen), Palacios (Leverkusen), and Frömel (Hoffenheim) were named as midfielders. Riemann (Bochum) was selected as the goalkeeper.

It was also included in the best 11 of the 7th round of the Bundesliga selected by German kicker. Kicker, along with Kim Min-jae, selected Girashi, Janae, Hoffman, Coman, Grimaldo, Schlotterbeck, Frimpong (Leverkusen), Larsson (Frankfurt), and Wirtz (Leverkusen) as the best 11 in the 7th round of the Bundesliga. Minjae Kim received the highest score, 1.

‘Whoscored.com’, a website specializing in soccer statistics, also selected Kim Min-jae as one of the best 11 of the round with the highest rating among the defenses at 7.93 points. Skake (Darmstadt), Boniface (Leverkusen), Girashi, you. Frömel, Hoffmann, Coman, Bernardo (Bochum), Pacho (Frankfurt), and Liemann were named. The highest rating was Coman with 9.91 points.

Following his outstanding performance in the European Champions League match against Copenhagen, Kim Min-jae showed good performance until today’s game, completely changing the mood towards him. Kim Min-jae was in crisis recently. Bayern recorded a 2-2 draw with Leipzig in the 6th round of the 2023-2024 German Bundesliga season held at the Red Bull Arena in Leipzig, Germany on the 1st. Bayern continued its 6-game undefeated streak after opening with a draw on this day, but fell to 3rd place in the rankings. Bayern struggled on this day as their defense was shaky. Bayern gave up the first goal to Royce Offenda in the 20th minute of the first half, then allowed a goal to Castello Luceva six minutes later. Harry Kane’s penalty kick chase goal in the 12th minute of the second half and Leroy Janet’s equalizer in the 25th minute resulted in a draw.

On this day, Minjae Kim worked with Dayot Upamecano. He played the full 90 minutes, recording 2 tackles, 2 clearances, and 2 interceptions. The pass success rate was also 92%. Whoscored.com, a European soccer statistics website, gave Kim Min-jae a rating of 6.5. The rating on Footmob, another statistical media, was 7.3. Minjae Kim recorded 11 recoveries, the most in the game on this day.

After the game, the spark flew to Minjae Kim. It was because of the point loss scene. In the scene where Offenda was given the first goal, Kim Min-jae followed to the end and tried to block the shot, but the shot was deflected off his foot and was sucked into the goal. In the second goal, Sven Ulreich’s miss was big. Kim Min-jae jumped in surprise at Ulreich’s miss, but the opponent had already shot. Minjae Kim raised his hands in disappointment.

Coach Thomas Tuchel said, “It took time to execute the plan and find space. There were too many mistakes. The game was too slow and static. There was also sloppy defense. But we got better in the second half. Our mentality, pace of play and fighting spirit were better. “We lost. That’s why we deserved to come back.” The German kicker said, ‘Coach Tuchel directly criticized Munich’s defensive duo Kim Min-jae and Upamecano in a situation where they conceded the first goal.’ According to the media, Tuchel reportedly criticized the two, saying, “Kim Min-jae had no reason to go one-on-one. Instead of protecting Kim Min-jae, Upamecano went out and gave him space.”

In this situation, even ‘German legend’ Lothar Matthaus joined in. Matthaus is a legend for Bayern and the German national team. He criticized through Sky Sports, “Kim Min-jae’s skills are not yet close to what we expected, and he is a factor of concern for Bayern.” He continued, “He needs to get used to the Bundesliga. I’m not saying Kim Min-jae is bad, but considering what he did in Italy, he hasn’t lived up to the expectations I have for him yet.”

This is an unusual criticism, considering that Mateus was pro-Kim Min-jae. He stated in a personal column last June, before Kim Min-jae confirmed his move to Bayern, that ‘Kim Min-jae would be a really good transfer.’ Matheus said, ‘Kim Min-jae is a really good transfer. He had a fantastic season at Naples and for that reason alone he would be a great fit for Bayern.’ It was expected that Kim Min-jae, who joined Bayern in place of Lucas Hernández, would perform well.

Kim Min-jae, who wore a Bayern uniform last July for 50 million euros, the third highest amount in the club’s history, raised expectations by increasing his playing time from the pre-season despite the aftermath of military training. Kim Min-jae, who made his official debut as a substitute in the Super Cup against Leipzig (0-3 loss), has been playing as an unwavering center back since the league opened. Kim Min-jae, who played 67 minutes as a starter in the opening match against Werder Bremen (4-0 win), then played 80 minutes in the home opening match against Augsburg (3-1 win). He then played a full-time game for the first time since joining Bayern in the third round (2-1 win) against Mönchengladbach. Kim Min-jae gradually increased his playing time and seemed to be improving his condition further.

After playing in two consecutive international matches against Wales and Saudi Arabia in Europe, Kim Min-jae transformed into a monster for Bayern again. Kim Min-jae, who played all 90 minutes in the match against Leverkusen (2-2 draw), which was considered a watershed in the early competition for the lead, also played full-time in the first match of the European Champions League group stage against Manchester United in midweek (4-3 win), becoming a solid starter. It looks like it is establishing itself. Kim Min-jae is showing outstanding performance in every game. In particular, he earned the title ‘Kaiser’ for his good performance against Manchester United. Kaiser is the nickname of Bayern’s absolute legend, Franz Beckenbauer. It was an atmosphere where they were establishing themselves as a solid core of defense.

Kim Min-jae also played well against Bochum. Kim Min-jae played full time and demonstrated solid defensive ability, including 76 successful passes, 94% pass success rate, and 10 clearances. He played an unwavering defense despite changing partners to Matthias de Ligt and Upa Meccano. Bayern played its best game under coach Tuchel and won 7-0. Kim Min-jae’s performance was given a thumbs up. However, there are concerns about Kim Min-jae due to his poor performance against Leipzig.

However, Kim Min-jae changed his mood once again through his own efforts. Kim Min-jae showed good performance as a starter in the second match of the 2023-2024 European Champions League group stage against Copenhagen held at Falken Stadium in Copenhagen, Denmark on the 4th. He once again proved his worth with his outstanding performance on this day. Based on the soccer statistics media ‘Sofa Score’, it ranked first overall in the game with a rating of 7.7. He touched the ball a whopping 115 times, and his pass success rate reached 92%. He showed off his best defensive performance, including 5 clearances, 1 block, 3 interceptions, 1 tackle, and 1 decisive interception. He also showed his physical superiority, including one successful ground contest and five successful air superiority contests. Another company, Whoscored.com, gave Minjae Kim a rating of 7.4 points. It was the highest rating. Musiala (7.2 points) was higher than Tell (6.9 points). The team won 2-1.

Following the perfect performance against Freiburg, the club is also screaming with happiness. On the 16th, general manager Christoph Freund gave high praise through German Kicker, saying, “Kim Min-jae is getting better and better. Kim Min-jae is a great player who focuses entirely on soccer and training. We are lucky to have Kim Min-jae to Bayern.” Bavarian Football said, ‘Director Freund acknowledged that Kim Min-jae is improving at Bayern. Freund said he feels Kim Min-jae, who joined from Naples, is a valuable player for Bayern on the pitch and is developing into an incredibly likeable character off the pitch.

This is not the first time that General Manager Freund has praised Minjae Kim. On the 10th, General Manager Freund highly evaluated Kim Min-jae through Spox in Germany, saying, “Minjae Kim is getting better as time goes on.” He continued to praise Minjae Kim, saying, “Minjae Kim’s passing ability is truly overwhelming. His defensive ability is built into it as well.” General Manager Freund said, “Kim Min-jae has been an outstanding player since he was recruited. He is even getting better,” and added, “In particular, he is a player who is completely focused on soccer and training.”

Kim Min-jae, who returned from the international break, displayed a more mature play. Kim Min-jae wore the captain’s armband in the international match, showing off his overwhelming defensive skills against Tunisia and Vietnam and not allowing a single goal. He showed great success even while changing partners to Jeong Seung-hyun and Kim Young-kwon (Ulsan Hyundai). He also scored goals in both matches. He received all of Lee Kang-in’s corner kicks with his head. Kim Min-jae left a humble comment, saying, “I’m not a player who is good at scoring goals, but Kang-in had a really good kick. I just put my head in and it went in.” Even in the A match, there may be physical pressure as he plays both games, but Kim Min-jae received favorable reviews for his more focused play.

The game was played one-sidedly by Bayern. In the 8th minute of the first half, Kimmich’s shot after receiving a pass from Jaune was blocked by the goalkeeper’s super save. A minute later, Goretzka’s header also missed the goal. Mainz also counterattacked, but Bayern eventually scored. In the 11th minute of the first half, Coman received a pass from Jaune and hit the Mainz net with a right-footed shot. The chemistry between the two players, who scored goals side by side in the game against Freiburg, shined.

Mainz, who conceded the first goal, missed a decisive opportunity. In the 13th minute, Lee Jae-seong, who received Da Costa’s cross, rushed in and attempted a header. The ball hit the goalkeeper and hit the post. Lee Jae-seong missed the opportunity to score the season’s biggest goal. Bayern overcame the crisis and scored an additional goal. In the 16th minute, Kane completed his second goal with a header after receiving a pass from Goretzka. Kane has already scored his 9th Bundesliga goal. Following the English Premier League, he is showing off his consistent scoring ability in the Bundesliga.

Bayern continued to push Mainz. In the 21st minute of the first half, Coman received a pass from Jaune and attempted a right-footed shot, but it missed the goal. In the 23rd minute, Kane headed Davis’ cross, but unfortunately missed. Mainz tried to make up for Barreiro’s goal in the 28th minute, but it did not result in a goal. Then, in the 35th minute, Fernandez’s shot also missed the goal. But Mainz did not give up. In the 42nd minute, a counterattack resulted in a consolation goal. Cassi, who received Gruda’s pass, hit Bayern’s net with a left-footed shot. Ultimately, the first half ended with Bayern leading 2-1.

Bayern, who allowed the game to catch up at the end of the first half, scored a key goal early in the second half. In the 13th minute of the second half, Goretzka’s right-footed shot, which received a pass from Musiala, passed over the Mainz goal. In fact, it was the moment when the game was decided. Bayern continued the momentum by bringing in Buna Sar, Matthias Tell, and Eric Choupo-Moting. Mainz also tried to turn things around by leaving out Lee Jae-seong and adding Aymen Barkok, Tom Kraus, and Maxim Richter, but that was it. Mainz was disappointed that Gruda’s shot hit the goalpost again in the 43rd minute of the second half. In the end, the game ended with Bayern winning 3-1.

Goretzka’s performance shone in Bayern. Goretzka was selected as the team’s brightest star, receiving a rating of 8.5 from FootMob and 7.9 from WhoScored.com. On SofaScore, Kimmich received the highest rating with 8.2 points. In addition to the two central midfielders, Kane, Janae, and Coman were evaluated as having performed well. Lee Jae-seong, who played 63 minutes, received a respectable rating. It received a rating of 6.7 on SofaScore, a rating of 6.4 on FootMob, and a rating of 6.1 on WhoScored.com. Jae-seong Lee attempted a total of 14 passes and succeeded 11 times. He continued his diligent play by attempting 3 aerial ball contests, succeeding 2 times, and even hitting the goal post, but he failed to gain any income.