‘First Korean derby with Lee Jae-sung’ Kim Min-jae has ‘100% pass completion rate + 100% aerial ball competition + 7.3 rating’ as Bayern defeats Mainz 3-1

‘Monster’ Kim Min-jae was at it again.

Bayern Munich earned a 3-1 away win over Mainz in the eighth round of the 2023-2024 German Bundesliga at the Meba Arena in Mainz, Germany, on Sunday (Feb. 22)토스카지노. The Bavarians defeated Mainz 3-1. The win extended Bayern’s unbeaten run to eight games after the opening day. With six wins and two draws (20 points), they remain in third place behind leaders Leverkusen (22 points) and Stuttgart (21 points). Bayern’s rivals Dortmund also reached the 20-point plateau, but lost out on goal difference and settled for fourth place. Mainz, on the other hand, continued their unexpectedly poor form and dropped to the bottom of the table with 2 points (2 draws and 6 losses).

The match was the first Korean Derby for Kim Min-jae in his European debut. Kim made his European debut with Turkkiye Fenerbahçe in the 2021-2022 season before moving to Napoli in Italy for the 2022-2023 season. In both cases, Kim was the only Korean player on the roster. They had never experienced the Korean Derby. Kim Min-jae played his first Korean Derby against Lee Jae-sung on Sunday. After playing an exhibition match against Tunisia on the 17th, Kim said, “I’m looking forward to it. It’s my first Korean Derby, so I want to do well and win.” He had previously expressed his feelings. In particular, the game was made even more meaningful by the presence of coach Jürgen Klinsmann.

Kim was right. The Bavarians put in a fantastic performance and dominated Mainz. Bayern lined up in a 4-2-3-1 formation. Harry Kane was up front, with Leroy Sane, Jamal Moussaoui, and Kingsley Coman in the second line. Joshua Kimmich and Leon Goretzka lined up in the middle, with Alfonso Davies, Kim Min-Jae, Matthias Derricht, and Konrad Reimer forming the back four. Sven Ulreich was in goal. Derricht returned from injury and was paired with Kim Min-jae, while Manuel Neuer, who was expected to return after a long absence due to a skiing injury, did not play. Neuer has recently returned to training and is training normally. Mainz lined up in a 3-4-2-1 with Lee Jae-Sung in the center.

For Kim Min-jae, there were no after-effects of the A match. He played 90 minutes, winning 100% of his aerial battles, making three clearances, two interceptions, one tackle, and one shot block. Of note is his passing record. On the day, Kim attempted 102 passes and completed all 102. That’s 100%. He also attempted three long passes and completed them all. He was literally a buildup monster.

Sofascore gives him a 7.1 rating. Footmob gave him a 7.3 and Futurescore.com gave him a 6.9. That’s one or two of the best scores among defenders.

Kim Min-jae has been on a roll lately. In the seventh round of the 2023-2024 German Bundesliga against SC Freiburg before the A-League break, Kim was outstanding. Kim started the match and played the entirety of the match once again, leading the team to a clean sheet. In 90 minutes, Kim completed 92% of his passes, had one key pass, two long passes, three interceptions, 10 recoveries, and a 100% aerial ball win rate. His rating of 8.3 was third on the team, behind Coman (9.2) and Sane (8.5), who both scored goals. Sofosco also had the highest rating of 7.8 on defense. Alfonso Davies was rated 7.5, while Nusair Mazrawi and Upamecano were rated 7.3. In the third minute of the second half, Kim made a strong physical stop to deny Freiburg winger Maximilian Philipp in the box, prompting a standing ovation from the Bayern fans. With this performance, Kim definitely turned the tide in his favor and cemented his position as a key defender in the team.

Noteworthy was his passing record. According to Opta, Kim made the most passes in a single Bundesliga game this season. He completed a whopping 171 passes against Freiburg. “The most since Leverkusen’s Aleksandar Dragovic completed 178 against Düsseldorf in February 2019,” according to Opta.

The ‘team of the week’ was also swept aside. German outlet 90min included Kim in the defense alongside Grimaldo (Leverkusen), Schlotterbeck (Dortmund), and Honorat (Mönchengladbach). Zane (Bayern Munich), Girasci (Stuttgart), and Coman (Bayern Munich) round out the Best 11 forwards, while Hoffmann (Leverkusen), Palacios (Leverkusen), and Fröhmel (Hoffenheim) make up the midfield. In goal, Riemann (Bochum) was selected.

The German kickers were also included in the Bundesliga Round 7 Best 11. Along with Kim, the kickers named Girassi, Zane, Hoffmann, Coman, Grimaldo, Schlotterbeck, Frimpong (Leverkusen), Larsson (Frankfurt), and Wirz (Leverkusen) to the Bundesliga Round 7 Best 11. Kim Min-jae received the highest rating of 1.

Football statistics site FútbolScore.com also named Kim a Round 7 Best 11, with the highest rating among defenders at 7.93. Skakke (Darmstadt), Boniface (Leverkusen), Girassi, Zane. Fröhmel, Hoffmann, Coman, Bernardo (Bochum), Pacho (Frankfurt), and Liehmann. Comand was the highest-rated player with a score of 9.91.


Kim Min-jae has turned the tide in his favor with a strong performance against Copenhagen in the Champions League, which was followed by a good showing in this match. Kim Min-jae has been in crisis lately. Bayern played Leipzig to a 2-2 draw in the sixth round of the 2023-2024 German Bundesliga at the Red Bull Arena in Leipzig, Germany on Monday. The draw extended Bayern’s unbeaten start to the season to six games, but dropped them to third in the standings. Bayern struggled defensively on the day. After conceding a goal in the 20th minute to Lois Offenda, the Bavarians gave up a goal six minutes later to Castelo Ruckeba. Harry Kane’s 12th-minute penalty kick winner and Leroy Sane’s 25th-minute equalizer in the second half secured a narrow draw.

On the day, Kim partnered with Dayo Upamecano. He played the full 90 minutes and recorded two tackles, two clearances, and two interceptions. He also completed 92% of his passes. European soccer statistics site Fúscore.com gave Kim a rating of 6.5, while another statistical source, Footmob, gave him a rating of 7.3. Kim made a game-high 11 recoveries on the day.

After the game, Kim came under fire. It was because of the goal. On the first goal by Oppenda, Kim followed the ball all the way and tried to stop it, but the shot hit his foot and deflected into the goal. Sven Ulreich was at fault for the second goal. Kim Min-jae was surprised to see Ulreich miss the ball, but the opponent had already taken the shot. Kim threw his hands up in disappointment.

Coach Thomas Tuchel said, “It took time to execute the plan and find space. We made too many mistakes. The game was too slow and static. There was sloppy defense, but we got better in the second half. Our mentality, our pace of play, and our fighting spirit were better. That’s why we deserved to come back.” Tuchel directly criticized Munich’s defensive duo of Kim Min-jae and Upamecano for conceding the first goal, according to the German kicker. According to the outlet, Tuchel said, “Kim had no reason to go one-on-one. Upamecano gave him space, not to mention protecting him,” Tuchel reportedly criticized the duo.

In this situation, ‘German legend’ Lothar Matthaeus also joined in. “Kim is not yet close to what we expected from him, and he is a source of anxiety for Bayern,” Matthaeus told Sky Sports. “He needs to get used to the Bundesliga. It’s not that he’s bad, but considering what he’s done in Italy, he hasn’t yet lived up to the expectations I have for him.”

It’s an unusual criticism given Mateusz’s pro-Minjae stance, as he wrote in his personal column in June, before the player’s move to Bayern was finalized, that “Minjae will be a really good transfer”. ‘He’s a really good transfer,’ Mateus said. He had a fantastic season at Napoli and for that reason alone, he would be a great fit for Bayern. It is hoped that Kim Min-jae, who joins Bayern in place of Luca Hernandez, will perform well.


Kim joined Bayern in July for €50 million, the third highest fee in the club’s history, and despite the aftermath of his military training, he raised expectations by increasing his playing time in preseason. After making his official debut as a substitute in the Super Cup against Leipzig (0-3 loss), Kim has been a consistent center back since the league season began. After starting and playing 67 minutes in the opening match against Werder Bremen (4-0), Kim played 80 minutes in the home opener against Augsburg (3-1). He then played his first full match since joining Bayern in the third round against Mönchengladbach (2-1 win). Minjae gradually increased his playing time, further improving his form.

In the next two matches in Europe, against Wales and Saudi Arabia, Kim transformed into a monster for Bayern. He played the full 90 minutes against Leverkusen (a 2-2 draw), a watershed moment in the early race for the title, and then played the entirety of the first Champions League group game against Manchester United (a 4-3 win) in midweek, cementing his place in the starting lineup. Kim Min-jae has been performing exceptionally well in every game. His performance against Manchester United in particular earned him the title of ‘Kaiser’. Kaiser is a nickname given to Bayern’s absolute legend Franz Beckenbauer, and he has established himself as a solid core of the defense.


Kim Min-jae was also outstanding against Bochum. Kim played the full game, completing 76 passes, completing 94 percent of his passes, and making 10 clearances. Even when he switched partners with Matthijs de Ligt and Upamecano, his defense was unwavering. Bayern played their best game under Tuchel as they cruised to a 7-0 victory. Thumbs up to Kim Min-jae for his performance. However, after his poor performance against Leipzig, there were some concerns about him.

However, Kim single-handedly turned the tide once again. Kim started the second leg of the 2023-2024 European Champions League group stage match against Copenhagen at the Falken Stadium in Copenhagen, Denmark, on April 4. He proved his worth once again with a brilliant performance. According to soccer stats site Couch Score, he was the best player in the match with a rating of 7.7. He had a whopping 115 touches of the ball and a 92% passing success rate. His defensive performance was top-notch, with five clears, one block, three interceptions, one tackle, and one crucial interception. He was also physically dominant, winning one ground ball and five possession battles. Another service, HooScore.com, gave Kim a 7.4 rating. This was the highest rating. It was higher than Musiala (7.2) and Tel (6.9). The team went on to win 2-1.

ReutersYonhap

A perfect performance against Freiburg followed, and the club is screaming with happiness. “Kim Min-jae is getting better and better,” head coach Christoph Proint told the German kicker on Saturday, “He is a great player who focuses entirely on football and training. We are lucky to have him at Bayern,” he said. Bavarian Football reported: ‘Head coach Freund admitted that Kim is improving at Bayern. ‘He feels that the player, who joined from Napoli, is a valuable player for Bayern on the pitch and is developing into an incredibly likable character off the pitch,’ Proint said.

This isn’t the first time Proint has spoken highly of Kim. “He’s getting better and better as he goes,” Proint told Germany’s Sportex on Oct. 10. “His passing ability is overwhelming. In addition, his defense is built-in,” he said. “Kim Min-jae has been an outstanding player since he joined the team. He is even getting better and better,” he said, adding, “He is a player who is completely focused on soccer and training.”

After returning from the A-Match break, Kim Min-jae showed a more mature performance. Kim wore the captain’s armband in the A-Match and showed off his overwhelming defense against Tunisia and Vietnam, not allowing a single goal. He also played well while switching partners with Jung Seung-hyun and Kim Young-kwon (Ulsan Hyundai). He even scored a goal in both matches. He headed in both of Lee Kang-in’s corner kicks. Kim Min-jae said, “I’m not a good goal scorer, but Lee Kang-in’s kick was so good. I just put my head on it and it went in,” he said humbly. Playing both matches in the A-Match can be physically demanding, but Kim was praised for his more focused performance.

The game was one-sided in Bayern’s favor. In the eighth minute of the first half, Kimmich was denied by a super save from the goalkeeper after a pass from Zane. A minute later, Goretzka’s header went just wide of the post. Mainz fought back, but Bayern eventually took the lead. In the 11th minute, Coman rattled the Mainz net with a right-footed shot from a Zane pass. The two players, who also scored side-by-side against Freiburg, showed their chemistry.


After conceding the first goal, Mainz missed a crucial chance. In the 13th minute, Da Costa’s cross was met by Lee Jae-sung, who rushed forward and attempted a header. The ball beat the keeper and hit the post. Lee Jae-Sung wasted his best chance of the season. After surviving the crisis, Bayern added another goal. In the 16th minute, Kane completed his second goal with a header off a pass from Goretzka. It was Kane’s ninth Bundesliga goal. After the English Premier League, he has been a consistent scorer in the Bundesliga.

Bayern continued to push Mainz. In the 21st minute, Coman tried his luck with a right-footed shot from the edge of the box after a pass from Zane. In the 23rd minute, Davies’ cross was met by Kane with a header that went just wide. Mainz tried to pull a goal back in the 28th minute when Vareiro headed wide. In the 35th minute, Fernandez also shot wide of the target. However, Mainz did not give up. In the 42nd minute, they scored on the counterattack. Gruda’s pass was met by Baden-Kasi, who rattled the Bavarian net with a left-footed shot. The first half ended with a 2-1 Bayern lead.

After conceding late in the first half, the Bavarians scored the game-winner early in the second half. In the 13th minute of the second half, Goretzka’s right-footed shot from a Musiala pass found the back of the Mainz net. With the game virtually decided, Bayern brought on Buna Saar, Matthias Tell and Erik Choupo-Moting to keep the momentum going. Mainz tried to turn the tide by bringing on Eimen Barcock, Tom Krause, and Maxim Richter, including Lee Jae-Sung, but that was it. Mainz were unfortunate to see another shot from Gruda hit the post in the 43rd minute, and the game ended with a 3-1 victory for Bayern.

Goretzka’s performance at Bayern shined. Goretzka was named the team’s brightest star, with an 8.5 rating on FootMob and a 7.9 rating on Fourscore.com. Kimmich was the highest rated player on Sofascore with an 8.2 rating. In addition to the two central midfielders, Kane, Zane, and Coman were also rated as having good performances. Lee Jae-Sung, who played 63 minutes, received a moderate rating. He received a rating of 6.7 on Sofascore, 6.4 on Footmob, and 6.1 on WhoScored.com. In total, Lee attempted 14 passes, completing 11 of them. He was also diligent in contesting aerial balls, winning two out of three attempts and taking a shot on goal that went wide of the mark, but was unsuccessful.

No Comments

Add Comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *