Bayer Leverkusen's ace, Jeremy Frimpong (24, Bayer Leverkusen), vowed to take revenge against Kim Min-jae (28, Bayern Munich).
Multiple local media outlets, including Germany's 'TZ' and 'Aventzeitung (AZ)', awarded Kim Min-jae the highest defensive rating on Nov. 6 (Korea Time), noting "It was a perfect defense." On that day, Kim Min-jae completely shut down opposing attacks with flawless tackles and ball contests.
Bayern Munich achieved a convincing 3-0 victory against Bayer Leverkusen in the first leg of the round of 16 of the 2024-2025 UEFA Champions League on Nov. 6 at Fußball Arena Munich in Munich, Germany. Bayern, facing a strong Leverkusen at home, dominated the game from the start and recorded a three-goal win, allowing them to enter the second leg in a favorable position.
Just five minutes into the match, a shocking moment occurred. Kim Min-jae collided with Frimpong and suffered an ankle injury, falling to the ground. Although he complained of pain for a while, he soon stood up and returned to the match. Bayern scored the opening goal early on. In the 9th minute of the first half, Oliseh delivered a cross from the flank that Kane converted with a powerful header, scoring successfully.
Leverkusen launched a counterattack. In the 14th minute of the first half, Upamecano made an error on a back pass, which Frimpong intercepted, connecting with a shot that was calmly saved by Neuer, preventing a goal. Bayern continued to create opportunities. In the 22nd minute of the first half, Musiala attempted a header from a corner kick but hit the crossbar, and in the 31st minute of the first half, Kimmich took a long-range shot from outside the box that went wide of the goal.
The first half ended with Bayern leading 1-0. Bayern dominated the game in the second half as well. In the 9th minute of the second half, Kimmich's cross was mishandled by goalkeeper Kovaršik, and Musiala calmly finished it off, extending the lead to 2-0.
Bayern also faced a variable. In the 13th minute of the second half, Neuer requested a substitution due to discomfort, and Jonas Urbig was brought in to replace him. It was later revealed that the injury occurred during the goal celebration. Subsequently, Leverkusen faced adversity. In the 17th minute of the second half, Mukiele, who had already received a yellow card, committed a foul during a duel with Coman, receiving a second yellow card and was sent off.
Bayern did not miss this opportunity. In the 18th minute of the second half, during a corner kick situation, Tapsoba excessively pulled Kane, and after video review (VAR), a penalty kick was awarded. Kane took the penalty and successfully converted it, bringing the score to 3-0.
Bayern made player substitutions at the end of the match. In the 44th minute of the second half, Kim Min-jae and Goretzka were called to the bench, and Eric Dier and João Palhinha were brought in to manage their stamina. Although 6 minutes of additional time was given, the match ended in that state, confirming Bayern's victory.
Despite suffering an injury early in the match, Kim Min-jae displayed a dedicated performance until the very end. He recorded a pass success rate of 89% (41/46), 4 clearances, 3 ball recoveries, and 9 passes into the attacking area, playing an essential role not only in defense but also in buildup.
Kim Min-jae, who recently experienced difficulties due to an Achilles injury, played in this match despite not being in peak condition, but he dedicated himself to the team until the end and contributed to Bayern's victory, particularly shutting down Leverkusen's attacking key player, Frimpong.
The highlight moment occurred in the added time of the second half when Frimpong had a one-on-one chance and was thwarted from behind by Kim Min-jae, who prevented him from doing anything. German media did not hold back in their praise for Kim Min-jae's performance. Germany's TZ noted, "He collapsed during a tackle early in the match, but after a brief treatment, he returned and showed an impressive performance throughout the game. He led the team's buildup, maintaining stability in the defense," bestowing him the highest rating of 1. In Germany, ratings range from 1 to 6, with 1 being the highest evaluation.
AZ also awarded Kim Min-jae a rating of 2, praising him as saying, "He has been consistently performing well and held the center of the defense today. Even though he suffered an injury early in the match, he played until the end and showed confidence in game management."
'Bild,' which sometimes forced criticism on Kim Min-jae, also could not help but give praise. The media awarded him a rating of 2, saying, "He showed no signs of insecurity in this match. Kim Min-jae displayed very good performance and made no mistakes in positioning."
For Frimpong, the match was exceptionally humiliating. He was physically dominated by Kim Min-jae from the start and remained outmatched until the end. It was particularly nightmarish for Frimpong, who prided himself on his speed, to see Kim Min-jae surpass him in that regard.
Frimpong has recorded 3 goals and 4 assists in 24 matches in the Bundesliga this season, and 3 assists in 9 matches in the UEFA Champions League. Despite being mentioned as having a low buyout clause, his performance is excellent enough to be regarded as one of the best wing-backs in the world at this point.
Despite his overwhelming defeat in the matchup against Kim Min-jae, Frimpong vowed to turn things around. He promised fans on social media, "I will definitely bring a different result in the second leg," posting a photo of himself being helplessly overmatched by Kim Min-jae with the words "Not over yet."
While Frimpong is determined to make a comeback, the 'monster' Kim Min-jae also has extraordinary resolve. Attention is on how far Kim Min-jae's performance will continue and whether he can dominate the European stage.
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