2024-05-01 16:01:54
Min-jae Kim came to Munich in the summer for a lot of money. But currently he is more of a factor of uncertainty. With his mistakes against Real he infuriates Tuchel.
Julian Buhl reports from the Allianz Arena
It was shortly before midnight when Min-jae Kim walked through the catacombs of the Allianz Arena with his head bowed. He didn’t stop in front of the reporters waiting in the mixed zone – but that was to be expected after his serious mistakes, which resulted in a goal conceded in FC Bayern’s 2-2 draw against Real Madrid. With a sad look, the South Korean looked at the journalists from his home country as he walked past toward the exit. He smiled sheepishly and said only one sentence in his native language: “I’m so sorry.”
Kim himself was apparently most concerned about his inexplicable lapses, for which he apologized. Because there was no doubt about it, he had cost Bayern the possible and already tangible victory in the semi-final first leg of the Champions League – and received a t-online rating of six for it.
The failure of Dutchman Matthijs de Ligt, who had a knee injury and was only able to watch the important game on Tuesday evening as a spectator in the stands in civilian clothes, had fatal consequences. Because Kim once again did not prove to be an equal replacement for the sorely missed Dutchman, who had formed a stable defensive duo together with Eric Dier in the past few weeks.
Kim as a security risk for Bavaria
Kim, on the other hand, was clearly a security risk in the Bayern game. And Real Madrid’s Vinícius Júnior in particular took advantage of this mercilessly. When the score was 0-1 (24′), Kim was lured forward from the defensive line by the tricky Brazilian attacker without any need for a body deception. Madrid international Toni Kroos recognized this quickly and played his through ball exactly into the space that was created. A pass straight “through the heart,” as the Bayern captain said.
“Min-jae is not allowed to make the countermovement like that. He was in full sprint in front of Kroos’ pass. That’s too easy,” analyzed Tuchel. After Bayern turned the game around with a dream goal from Leroy Sané (53′) and a penalty from Harry Kane (57′), the Munich team already had victory in mind. Shortly before the end, Kim made another mistake. When Vinícius made it 2-2 late (83′), he awarded the penalty with a clumsy foul on Real attacker Rodrygo.
“When he makes the second mistake, he has no need to defend it so aggressively,” criticized Tuchel and described: “Without any need, he suddenly frees up the inner lane for Rodrygo. He is better all the time, and at the moment of the pass he is wrong. ” Tuchel talked himself into a rage: “And then he’s already wrong, then Eric Dier comes to help – he’s never allowed to do that, wow, that’s… that’s too greedy.”
Kim goes from “monster” to Bayern terror
Last summer, Tuchel lured Kim from SSC Naples to Munich as his dream player for 50 million euros. Not without reason, because in Naples’ championship season he was named the best defensive player in Italy’s Serie A and was acclaimed as a “defensive monster”.
Once again, little of this was visible against Real. Bayern’s supposed “monster” instead became a Bayern fright and also Tuchel’s nightmare. “He has to go through it, it happens – and we move on,” said Tuchel.