João Palhinha faces Bayern release after infidelity amid harsh criticism

The unfortunate dismissal compounded the issues. 'Adulterer' João Palhinha (30, Bayern Munich) has completely lost his place.

Bayern Munich suffered a 2-3 comeback defeat against VfL Bochum in the 25th round of the 2024-2025 season of the German Bundesliga held at the Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany, on the 8th (Korean time).

Having collapsed at home against the relegation-threatened Bochum, first-place Bayern remained at 61 points (19 wins, 4 draws, 2 losses). This was their first loss in about four months. Fortunately, second-place Bayer Leverkusen (53 points) lost 0-2 to Werder Bremen, allowing Bayern to maintain the gap.

On this day, Coach Vincent Kompany utilized rotation. To prepare for the second leg of the Round of 16 in the UEFA Champions League (UCL) against Leverkusen, he gave rest to 'key center backs' Kim Min-jae and Dayot Upamecano. Instead, Hiroki Ito, Eric Dier, Josip Stanišić, and Raphael Guerreiro formed the back four.

Nevertheless, Bayern was strong. In the 14th minute of the first half, Guerreiro scored the opening goal, quickly taking control. In the 21st minute, Serge Gnabry missed a penalty, but seven minutes later, Guerreiro scored a multi-goal to extend the lead to 2-0. Shortly after, they conceded one goal to Jakub Medich during a corner kick defense, but they still had the advantage.

Palhinha's dismissal ruined the match. He received a direct red card in the 42nd minute of the first half for strongly stepping on the opponent's leg after kicking the ball first. It seemed more like an unfortunate incident during a competitive process rather than an intentional foul. However, the referee decisively declared the dismissal.

Bayern, now down to 10 men, could not hold on for the remaining time. As the defense faltered, they conceded a header equalizer to Ibrahima Konaté in the 51st minute. Anxious, Coach Kompany substituted Thomas Müller, Gnabry, Leroy Sané, and Sasa Boji in the 62nd minute, bringing in key players Harry Kane, Jamal Musiala, Michael Olise, and Konrad Laimer.

However, Bayern collapsed instead, conceding a comeback goal to Matush Berow in the 71st minute. No further goals were scored in the remaining time. The match ended in victory for Bochum. Kim Min-jae rested on the bench until the end.

After the match, Palhinha could not avoid harsh criticism. German outlet 'TZ' noted, "Palhinha's judgment and footwork were too slow. He received a warranted red card in the first half due to unnecessary actions," giving him a rating of 6. In German rating systems, 1 is the best and 5 is the worst, so a 6 means it was literally the worst.

German publication 'Kicker' also pointed out, "Kompany's rotation ended in failure. This week was not a week for Palhinha. Rather, it showcased the failure of his season after being acquired for 50 million euros (about 78.6 billion won) last summer. He missed a chance to make it 4-0 against Leverkusen as he hit the crossbar instead of the open goal during stoppage time. And he was sent off in the match against Bochum."

However, it can be said that Palhinha had some justification. According to Kicker, the German Football Association (DFB) acknowledged that the dismissal was a wrong judgment by referee Christian Dingert. Since it was an unfortunate tackle, the red card was deemed excessive.

Nevertheless, Kicker delivered a cold assessment. The media stated, "Ultimately it was a mistake, but it did not help Palhinha. Even if he touched the ball first, he was careless. He showed no eagerness. Before his dismissal, Palhinha had not performed well, and there is a growing impression that Bayern could have better invested the large transfer fee they spent on him."

Additionally, Kicker stated, "Palhinha is now under a suspension in the league and is highly likely to sit on the bench in the UCL as well. If Aleksandar Pavlovic recovers from illness, Palhinha could become the fourth option in the central defensive midfielder position."

This is the opposite of the German life Palhinha dreamed of. He left Fulham last summer to don the Bayern uniform. The transfer fee alone was 50 million euros.

In fact, he was close to transferring to Bayern in the summer of 2023, but it fell through at the last minute. Even after completing the medical test and official photos, it was canceled as Fulham could not find a replacement. However, both sides did not give up, and the transfer was completed after a year.

As much as he was painstakingly acquired, expectations were high. However, Palhinha was pushed to the bench under Coach Kompany due to injury and adaptation issues. Coach Kompany is favoring Joshua Kimmich and Aleksandar Pavlovic. Already falling behind Leon Goretzka, there are rumors that Palhinha could leave Bayern.

Moreover, Palhinha shocked with his personal life. He engaged in an affair with a Bayern club staff member shortly after transferring to Bayern, while his wife was pregnant with their second child. Palhinha is reportedly undergoing divorce proceedings with his wife.

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