As Germany calmed down, negative views about Kim Min-jae emerged in the UK this time.
It is criticized that Kim Min-jae played a defense that could be played by players playing in a 10-year-old youth team over Bayern Munich’s defeat. Of course, it is true that Bayern Munich lost one goal and lost the game, but Kim Min-jae had to be criticized despite his not bad overall performance, boasting 100% of the success of competing in the air ball.
German giants Bayern Munich, led by head coach Bangsang Kompany, lost 0-1 to John Duran in the second round of the UEFA 메이저사이트 Champions League phase away match against Aston Villa in the 2024-25 season at Villa Park in Birmingham, England, on the 3rd (Korea time).
Munich, which boosted the mood with a 9-2 victory over Dynamo Zagreb (Croatia) in the first round of the league phase at home, vowed to win in the second round of meeting Villa, but was defeated by the mercenary skills of coach Unai Emery, who made achievements such as winning three consecutive UEFA Europa League titles at Sevilla FC (Spain).
Emery, who led Villa to a surprise fourth place in the Premier League (PL) last season and led his team to the Champions League for the first time in 41 years since the 1982-83 season, put England national striker Ollie Watkins as the starter against Bayern Munich, but after Watkins’ move, he put in Duran, a promising striker born in 2003 who was decisive, to catch Bayern Munich.
It was the first time in seven years that Bayern Munich, which had not been defeated in the Champions League group qualifying round, fell to its knees, and coincidentally, when Bayern Munich tasted the bitter taste seven years ago, its opponent was Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), led by coach Emery.
Bayern Munich formed the main center back line with Kim Min-jae and Dayo Upamecano as usual, but eventually gave Duran a run.
Kim was substituted for Leon Goretzka in the 41st minute of the second half. Before giving up a point, Kim tightly bound the Villa strikers with fast feet and competitive edge that overwhelmed opponents. Even Watkins, who scored the most points in the Premier League last season with 19 goals and 13 assists, failed to penetrate Bayern Munich’ defense.
It was a fatal mistake by veteran goalkeeper Manuel Neuer that Bayern Munich took the decisive hit.
Neuer emptied the goal in Villa’s counterattack around the 25th minute of the second half and made a decision to come forward a little, when Colombia’s national striker Duran caught it and shook the Bayern Munich net with a mid-range shot over Neuer’s height.
This was also the result of Neuer’s strengths being a disadvantage. Neuer has a reputation as a “sweeper keeper” who covers a wide range of defense and has maintained his position as a world-class goalkeeper for a long time. Duran is a good striker who can easily score from outside the penalty area, but Neuer’s strength was rather a disadvantage against Duran.
Naturally, Neuer had no choice but to be held accountable. Most German media gave Neuer the worst rating of five points. Sometimes players are given six points, but just getting five points showed Neuer was responsible for the loss.
It is hard to say that the defense is also not responsible, but it was possible to take into account the situation. Kim Min-jae and Upamecano received three points from the German influential magazine Bild, which meant that the two players performed well despite the defeat.
The soccer statistics media “Pot Mob,” a mechanical rating, also gave 7.1 points to Kim Min-jae and 7 points to Upamecano, giving the two players a high evaluation of their performance.
Kim Min-jae showed good performance overall, recording a pass success rate of 96% (72/75), three clearings, three interceptions, seven defensive actions, two recoveries, one successful ground contest (1/3), and six successful aerial contests (100%).
Kim Min-jae, who has been showing good performances except for the opening game against Wolfsburg by jumping to the main defender under Coach Kompany this season, avoided negative reviews from the German media by leaving a good performance this time.
But British experts pulled Kim over the chopping board.
Liverpool’s legendary center back Jamie Carragher, who is a soccer commentator and soccer expert for Champions League broadcaster “CBS Sports,” and former Manchester City native Micah Richaz criticized Kim Min-jae.
Carragher, who was an active center back during his time, pointed out that Bayern Munich gave up a point, failed to defend properly due to the twisted movement of center back duo Kim Min-jae and Upamecano. It was pointed out that the two players running to cover the defense were long and failed to reliably block Villa’s counterattack.
Carragher reprimanded Bayern Munich centre-back duo for tying them up, but Ricciaz pointedly criticised Kim Min-jae.
“If you’re a defender, you have to look at the position of the ball as you return to your position,” he said, adding, “This is something that will only be said by teams under the age of 10.” He expressed a negative view on Kim Min-jae’s positioning and play.
Of course, defenders usually find it difficult to avoid responsibility if their team gives up a point, but the mainstream opinion is that it is too much to blame the defense for Bayern Munich’s loss against Villa. However, Carragher and Richaz, especially Richaz, criticized Kim Min-jae’s mistakes that they did not have to do.
