'Ball contest' also failed, and after the chaotic entry of Hiroki Ito, Bayern Munich lost their chance for victory.

Bayern Munich drew 1-1 with Union Berlin in the 26th round of the 2024-2025 season of the German Bundesliga held at the Stadion an der Alten Försterei in Berlin, Germany, on the 15th (Korean time). On this day, Bayern Munich, despite fielding many of their key players, including Harry Kane, Jamal Musiala, and Joshua Kimmich, failed to secure 3 points. Jung Woo-young (Union Berlin) started as a left winger and played for 81 minutes.  Bayern Munich took the lead with a goal from Leroy Sané in the 30th minute of the second half, but allowed an equalizer in the 38th minute of the second half, resulting in back-to-back winless matches.  In their previous match against Bochum, Bayern Munich lost 2-3. They also managed to secure only 1 point against Berlin.

With 19 wins, 5 draws, and 2 losses, earning 62 points from 26 matches, Bayern Munich continues to maintain its sole lead, sitting 9 points ahead of Bayer Leverkusen (53 points from 25 matches).

Ahead of the match, a major blow occurred when Kim Min-jae was injured. Bayern Munich's manager Vincent Kompany noted in a press conference on the 14th, "Kim Min-jae is injured. I hope it won't take a long time for him to recover, but he won't be able to play for at least a few weeks going forward."  Bayern Munich was in a state of emergency, as Kim Min-jae is an irreplaceable player. Bayern Munich felt Kim Min-jae's importance again, suffering a shocking 2-3 loss against Bochum on the 8th when he was absent. Kim Min-jae's Achilles heel was not good, and giving him a rest for one match showed immediate effects.

Eric Dier replaced the vacant position left by Kim Min-jae. Bayern Munich lined up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Harry Kane as the sole striker supported by Serge Gnabry, Jamal Musiala, and Michael Olise on the second line. Joshua Kimmich and Leon Goretzka coordinated the attack and defense. The back four consisted of Alphonso Davies, Eric Dier, Dayot Upamecano, and Josip Stanisic, with Jonas Urbig as the goalkeeper.  Due to Kim Min-jae's injury, there were speculations in Japanese media that Hiroki Ito, a Japanese defender, could start. However, even without Kim Min-jae, Ito was pushed to the bench. He came on as a substitute in the 36th minute of the second half and played for about 10 minutes but had little impact.  On the day, Bayern Munich dominated with 80% possession and launched overwhelming attacks but failed to yield results, registering 18 shots to 7. The first half ended without a goal, and Harry Kane missed a crucial scoring opportunity.

Japanese national team defender Hiroki Ito also found it difficult to fill Kim Min-jae's void. Capable of playing both central and side defense, Ito came on as a substitute in the second half against Berlin but played only 8 minutes. Moreover, in this match, Dier played the full game and received a rating of 3 from Bild for his solid performance.  Ito is a defender with high expectations in Japan. According to Yahoo Japan, Ito's defensive skills are said to be more stable than Kim Min-jae's.  However, even in Kim Min-jae's absence, Ito has not seized opportunities as a central defender. The atmosphere leans toward Dier being the backup for Kim Min-jae at center-back. When Alphonso Davies returned to the starting lineup, Ito was pushed back to the bench.  In fact, Bayern Munich conceded a goal immediately after Ito was substituted into the match. Manager Kompany attempted to secure a one-goal victory by substituting out forward Michael Olise for a defender, but the change backfired. Bayern Munich allowed the equalizer right after Ito's entry. Victory was in sight, but they collapsed.

Ito played for 8 minutes and did not impress. He had 14 touches, including 1 failed ball contest. He appeared somewhat chaotic in dangerous areas and failed to position himself properly.

Japanese media that praised Ito for having 'beautiful and explosive speed' made no special mention of the match in which he played.

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