"It seems all big matches could happen."

The German 'Bild' noted on the 26th (Korea time) that "It's really amazing! Kim Min-jae has returned to Bayern Munich training," showing interest in his rapid early return.

Kim Min-jae was excluded from the national team due to an Achilles tendon injury ahead of the March A match. In response, head coach Hong Myung-bo expressed publicly that "Kim Min-jae is an important asset for both Korea and Bayern, but there were no protective measures in place at Bayern," which also drew attention from German media and sparked controversies.

Without Kim Min-jae, Korea ended with a series of 1-1 draws against Oman and Jordan, raising concerns about the defensive line. On the other hand, Bayern, with Kim Min-jae's return, has ignited a spark for a rebound in the second half of the season.

Kim Min-jae, who did not join the national team, began full preparations for his return following recovery from injury. Local media predicted that he would participate in all of Bayern's important matches in the second half of the season.

Previously, the German football media 'Kicker' reported on the 25th that "Kim Min-jae, who was excluded from the A match due to a left Achilles tendon injury, has recovered faster than expected and returned to team training. He is preparing to participate in important matches at the end of the season."

His return is faster than expected. Bayern's head coach Vincent Kompany had stated just ten days prior that "Kim Min-jae would be absent for several weeks due to an Achilles tendon injury," but Kim Min-jae made a surprise appearance at the team training ground on the 25th. German media described this as "a completely unexpected surprise comeback."

On this day, Kim Min-jae appeared at the team training held near Bayern's home ground at 'Zavenner Straße.' He had been running with left Achilles tendon pain for the past few months, but following a worsening of pain after the Frankfurt match, he decided to rest. Kompany also stated, "While the injury is not serious, we are being cautious to avoid overloading Kim Min-jae."

Bild reported on Kim Min-jae's return to training with other field players, evaluating it as a very positive signal for Bayern. Especially, his early return ahead of the planned Champions League quarter-finals and the league big match against Borussia Dortmund in April is expected to be a decisive reinforcement.

Indeed, Bayern will have back-to-back home and away matches against Inter Milan in the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals on April 9 and 17, and on the 12th, they are set to face Dortmund in a pivotal showdown for league supremacy, dubbed 'Der Klassiker.' Bild emphasized that "Kim Min-jae is essential as a center-back alongside Upamecano."

Fans who visited the training ground did not see Kim Min-jae in person. Bayern conducted most of the training in a closed-off area to the public, and the only training verified by fans was that of the goalkeepers. Bild reported that "Fans from Hamburg, Japanese fans, and supporters from various parts of Germany all came hoping to see Kim Min-jae and Thomas Müller, but they left only looking at a gray tent."

Both on the 25th and 26th, training was completely closed to general fans, and the coaching staff utilized the training ground barriers established during the Nagelsmann era to completely block outside views while conducting training. It remains to be seen what kind of performance Kim Min-jae will display upon returning from injury.

[OSEN]