"It was crazy, they did so well."

Bayern Munich won 3-1 against Stuttgart in an away match for the 24th round of the 2024-2025 Bundesliga season held on the morning of the 1st (Korean time) at the MHP Arena in Stuttgart, Germany. This victory extended Bayern's unbeaten streak to 9 matches.

They are now one step closer to the Bundesliga title after 2 years. Bayern, in 1st place, recorded 61 points (19 wins, 4 draws, 1 loss), widening the gap to 11 points against 2nd place Bayer Leverkusen (50 points), who have played one game less.

Bayern adopted a 4-2-3-1 formation. Harry Kane, Leroy Sané, Jamal Musiala, Michael Olise, João Palhinha, Leon Goretzka, Alphonso Davies, Kim Min-jae, Eric Dier, Konrad Laimer, and Manuel Neuer were the starters.

Stuttgart lined up in a 4-4-2 formation. Nick Woltemade, Dennis Undav, Chris Führich, Angelo Stiller, Atakan Karazor, Jamie Leveling, Maximilian Mittelstädt, Julian Schabot, Fin Yelçi, Yosa Pagnoman, and Alexander Nübel made up the starting eleven.

Early in the match, Stuttgart struggled to keep up. In the 6th minute of the first half, Pagnoman had a good opportunity but failed to finish. Kim Min-jae also made his presence felt in the back by effectively breaking up the opponent's passes.

Bayern missed a crucial chance in the 22nd minute of the first half. Stuttgart made a mistake during a buildup from the back, and Sané intercepted it and passed. Musiala, who received the ball, faced the goalkeeper one-on-one but shot wide of the goal. In the 31st minute, Stuttgart's Undav hit the post with a shot, leaving them frustrated.

Stuttgart took the lead first. In the 34th minute, Sané slipped and lost the ball, allowing Pagnoman to pass from the right. Stiller, who received the ball near the arc, blasted a powerful left-footed shot into the net, scoring the opening goal.

Bayern equalized before the end of the first half. In the 45th minute, Kim Min-jae's header cleared the ball and connected with Sané, who was in Chonbang. Sané immediately threaded a pass into the back space, and Olise finished with an accurate left-footed shot to equalize. The first half ended in a 1-1 draw.

Bayern turned the game around. In the 64th minute of the second half, Stuttgart made a critical mistake during a buildup inside the box. Goretzka quickly intercepted the ball just as the goalkeeper passed and scored the decisive goal.

Stuttgart pressured to equalize. However, they couldn't break through Bayern's solid defense, centered around Kim Min-jae and Dier. Stuttgart struggled to create shooting opportunities inside the box.

Bayern secured a decisive goal in the final moments, breaking down Stuttgart. Once again, a passing mistake was the catalyst. In the 90th minute, Pagnoman attempted a back pass to the goalkeeper from near the center line but misplayed it. Kingsley Coman seized the opportunity, intercepted the ball, and scored after going around the approaching goalkeeper.

No more goals were scored. Stuttgart ran out of time to change their fate. The match ended with Bayern winning 3-1.

After the match, coach Vincent Kompany noted, "It was a match at the highest level in Germany. It is never easy to play away against Stuttgart. Stuttgart did better than us early in the match, so we enjoyed this victory. However, we also had tremendous opportunities in the first half. We grew during the game and were threatening throughout the second half. Matches sometimes unfold that way."

He also emphasized, "We defended strongly at the end and showed a lot of character. That was the reason we could win. Of course, winning a trophy is our goal, but we always want to keep getting stronger. The most important thing is that we keep going down this path and have trust in what we are doing."

'The defeated' Sebastian Hoeneß, Stuttgart's coach, pointed out that the equalizing goal started from Kim Min-jae's header was decisive. He said, "Looking at the goal, we can say we gifted the win. However, we did a lot of things right." He lamented, "The result is disappointing. Conceding just before halftime was obviously a huge blow. It would have been beneficial if we had entered halftime ahead."

Kim Min-jae showed a solid performance despite not being at 100% fitness. He has been suffering from pain in his left Achilles tendon since last fall and has also felt issues in his right knee. Recently, he requested rest. However, due to the injury to Dayot Upamecano, he is starting out of necessity.

Kim Min-jae, showcasing his determination through injury, played the full 90 minutes and contributed to the equalizing goal. He recorded 3 successful long passes (3/4), 1 tackle, 11 clearances, 5 recoveries, and won 100% of aerial duels (4/4) that day. The football statistics outlet 'Footmob' rated him 7.7.

Applause poured in even in Germany. Most gave him the highest rating of 2 in the team, recognizing his performance. 'Spox' praised, "He was Munich's best defender. Kim Min-jae recorded several outstanding defensive plays. He also created Olise's equalizing goal by winning an aerial ball."

'TZ' similarly noted, "Having suffered from Achilles tendinitis since October, Kim Min-jae had to bear it once again. He displayed stable performances without mistakes and sent many passes forward. This is the image that coach Kompany expects from him," and gave him a rating of 2. 'Abend Zeitung' also awarded him a rating of 2, stating, "He defended the imposing Woltemade alongside Dier with great confidence."

Notably, even Germany's Kicker, which had given disparaging evaluations of Kim Min-jae, praised him. Kicker awarded him the team’s highest rating of 2, saying, "He showed strong and clear presence in the box. He was dominant throughout the 90 minutes."

Kicker also remarked, "Kim Min-jae displayed powerful performances throughout the match, both in ground duels and aerial battles. His success rate in these contests reached almost 90%. He truly demonstrated his role as the core of Bayern's defense."

[Photo] Bayern Munich social media.

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