"Kim Min-jae was incredibly strong. Will he start the next match against Arsenal as well?" Praise from German media... "Reliable whenever needed" as Bayern Munich also secures a 6-1 victory

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

South Korea national team 'monster defender' Kim Min-jae (29, Bayern Munich) received high praise from local German media.

On the 18th (Korean time), at the Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany, Bayern Munich defeated RB Leipzig 6-1 in a home match for the sixth round of the 2026-2027 German Bundesliga season. With this victory, league leader Bayern Munich recorded four wins and two draws (14 points).

Bayern Munich, which had failed to secure back-to-back victories in the recent Bundesliga and UEFA Champions League (UCL), exploded with firepower against Leipzig, successfully turning the momentum around.

The star of the match was Luis Diaz. After scoring the opening goal in the 12th minute of the first half, he struck again in the 2nd and 24th minutes of the second half to complete a hat-trick. Aleksandar Pavlovic, Michael Olise, and Harry Kane each added one goal as well.

In defense, Kim Min-jae's performance shone brightly.

Kim Min-jae started the match, partnering with Dayot Upamecano at center back. He played for 77 minutes on the pitch until being substituted for Sacha Boey in the 32nd minute of the second half.

His play was also stable. Kim Min-jae completed 66 out of 68 passes, recording an impressive success rate of 97%. He attempted five long passes and accurately connected four of them. He also recorded 10 passes into the attacking area, actively participating in build-up from the back.

He fulfilled his role in defense as well. He recorded six ball recoveries and successfully executed one tackle, one block, and one clearance each. He did not allow a single dribble breakthrough by the opponent.

Notably, Bayern Munich did not concede any goals to Leipzig while Kim Min-jae was on the field.

Local German media also gave Kim Min-jae high ratings. The German outlet Abendzeitung assigned individual ratings to Bayern Munich players after the match against Leipzig. Kim Min-jae received a rating of 2. In the German rating system, lower numbers indicate better evaluations.

The outlet described Kim Min-jae as "starting at center back in place of Jonathan Tah," evaluating him as "a player who reliably fulfills his role whenever needed."

It further praised him by stating, "The performance of the South Korean defender was incredibly powerful."

Abendzeitung also showed interest in whether Kim Min-jae would start the next match. Bayern Munich is set to face Arsenal, the English Premier League champion, in the UCL on the 22nd.

The outlet raised a question mark by asking, "Will Bayern Munich manager Vincent Kompany drop Kim Min-jae and start Tah against Arsenal?"

It focused on whether it would be possible to bench Kim Min-jae again, given that he left a strong impression in this match.

Abendzeitung also praised Upamecano, stating, "He looked to be in excellent physical condition. He showed a stable defensive performance against Leipzig forward Christopher Nkunku and advanced aggressively on the offensive as well."

It added, "He is currently an indispensable player in Bayern Munich's defense."

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original