"Kim Min-jae's injury sends shockwaves through the South Korean national team!" Fortunately, he avoided a serious injury... Bayern Munich coach: "Out for Freiburg match, expected to return next week"

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

Kim Min-jae of Bayern Munich, the "key defender" for the South Korean national football team, sustained an injury that raised concerns, but he appears to have avoided a serious one.

German media outlet Sport1 reported on the 25th (Korean time) about injuries among the Bayern Munich squad, including Kim Min-jae.

Bayern Munich is set to play away against SC Freiburg at Europa-Park Stadion in Freiburg, Germany, at 1:30 a.m. on the 26th in the 7th round of the 2026~2027 German Bundesliga season.

However, Kim Min-jae will not be able to play in this match due to his injury.

Sport1 reported, "Bayern Munich must play without Joshua Kimmich ahead of an important match against Freiburg. Jamal Musiala is also unavailable, and Kim Min-jae will miss the game."

The outlet further explained, "Kim Min-jae suffered a minor muscle injury."

Football statistics media FootMob also predicted that Dayot Upamecano and Jonathan Tah would form the center-back line in Bayern Munich's expected starting lineup for the Freiburg match.

However, it does not appear likely that Kim Min-jae's injury will lead to a long-term absence.

Aaron Danks, Bayern Munich's head coach, confirmed Kim Min-jae's absence at a press conference held ahead of the Freiburg match while also forecasting his quick return. Coach Danks stated, "Kim Min-jae will return next week."

Currently, with manager Vincent Kompany absent due to health issues, Coach Danks is leading the team in his stead.

According to German outlet Eurosport, Coach Danks explained regarding Kim Min-jae's injury, "He has a minor muscle sprain," adding, "It makes no sense to force him to play this weekend. He needs a few days to recover."

Kim Min-jae had not been in good physical condition recently. He started the home match against RB Leipzig in the 6th round of the Bundesliga on the 18th, but was substituted off in the 32nd minute of the second half after feeling discomfort.

Although there were concerns about his condition, Kim Min-jae started the 3rd match of the UEFA Champions League (UCL) league phase against Arsenal (England) on the 22nd.

However, he was unable to play a full match this time as well. He played only the first 45 minutes and was substituted for Jonathan Tah at halftime. Ultimately, Bayern Munich plans to give Kim Min-jae rest to help him recover his condition.

News of Kim Min-jae's injury was a sensitive issue for the South Korean national football team as well, given that the November A-match schedule is approaching.

The South Korean national team led by manager Roberto Moreno is scheduled to announce its roster for the upcoming November A-matches on Na Seol (CEO). Subsequently, they will play friendly matches against Saudi Arabia on November 13 and Qatar on the 17th. Both matches will be held in Doha, Qatar.

This two-match away series in the Middle East is an important set of friendlies ahead of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Asian Cup scheduled for January next year. For South Korea, it is also an opportunity to check tactics and organization against strong Middle Eastern teams.

For this reason, the physical condition of key defender Kim Min-jae is a significant variable for the national team as well. If Kim Min-jae is sidelined for a long period due to injury, it will inevitably hinder Manager Moreno's defensive plans.

In particular, with the announcement of the national team roster just four days away, concerns were bound to be heightened by news of Kim Min-jae's injury.

However, fortunately, as Bayern Munich's coaching staff predicted his return next week, Ko Ha-myeon-seo (CEO) can breathe a sigh of relief. If Kim Min-jae recovers quickly as expected, there is a possibility he will join the November A-matches in full form.

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original