Iron man Kim Min-jae (27, Munich) is expected to play full-time despite the controversy.
Bayern Munich will kick off the UEFA Champions League Group A fourth leg of the 2023-2024 season at 5:00 a.m. ET on September 9 at the Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany, against Turkic giants Galatasaray. In the third leg, Munich defeated Galatasaray 3-1 away from home.
Kim Min-jae is expected to start and play the entire match. If he does, it will be his 13th consecutive game without missing a second.
Kim Min-jae’s recent performances have been criticized in Germany. Despite the grueling schedule, Kim has been in top form. However, if he were to suffer a serious injury, it would leave a huge hole in Munich and the entire Korean national team defense. It may be time to adjust his playing time a bit now.
Bayern Munich cruised to a 4-0 victory over Dortmund in the 10th round of the 2023-2024 Bundesliga at Dortmund’s Zignale Iduna Park on Friday (Sept. 5). With the win, the team moved into second place with eight wins, two draws, and 26 points behind Leverkusen (28 points).
Once again, Kim played the full game. Kim has played full time in almost every game he has played recently. What’s more, with other center back options injured, he can’t be rested.
His Bayern Munich teammate, Leon Goretzka, wrote a comment on his social media account that read “Maschine”. It means “machine” in German. It’s a compliment to Kim Min-jae for his hard work, playing full time every game like a machine.
Kim Min-jae’s schedule and playing time lately makes you wonder if he can handle it. In the last eight games, Kim has started and played full time in all of them. The other center backs have been rotated or rested, but he hasn’t had a single minute off. It’s hard to imagine a Munich defense without him.
His most recent rest came on September 27 against Munster. Against the German third division team, Kim did not play due to a minor calf injury. The difference in quality between the two teams was so great that they didn’t even need him. Munich won 4-0 without him.
Thomas Tuchel is relying on Kim too much. Kim played the full game against Dortmund on May 5. His center-back partner Dayo Upamecano played 60 minutes before being replaced by Alexander Pavlovic. However, Kim Min-jae was not subbed off in the 27th minute of the second half, even though the score was 3-0.
It’s true that there was no substitute, but Kim Min-jae is a human being, not a robot. Even though Kim Min-jae is managing his fitness well, it’s still worrying for the fans.
Looking at Munich’s upcoming schedule, I sigh even more. The Bavarians host Galatasaray in the Champions League on Sept. 9. Just two days later, the Bavarians host 13th-place Heidenheim at home in the Bundesliga. Kim Min-jae is expected to start both games.
Even though it’s a back-to-back at home, it’s another Bundesliga game just 65 hours after a tough match against Galatasaray. It’s likely that Kim will play full time again. It’s a killer schedule.
Klinsmann can’t imagine the national team without him. After Munich, Kim will return home and be called up to the national team for the second round of World Cup Asia qualifiers in November. South Korea will face Singapore in Seoul on Nov. 16 and the Chinese national 먹튀검증 team in Shenzhen on Nov. 21. No matter how weak the opposition is, it’s a real game, and Kim Min-jae’s full-time role is assured.
Jürgen Klinsmann has no intention of giving Kim Min-jae a break. Once again, he chose only three center backs – Kim Min-jae, Kim Young-kwon, and Jung Seung-hyun. There is no replacement for Kim Min-jae, and even if there is an injury or a card, Kim Min-jae will have to keep playing. Klinsmann, who relies heavily on overseas core players, can’t control the playing time of the main players. We can only hope that Kim Min-jae will manage his fitness without injury.