There is no player protection. Bayern Munich is expected to use Kim Min-jae (29, Munich) as a starter.
Bayern Munich will face St. Pauli in the '2024-25 Bundesliga Round 27' at Allianz Arena, their home ground in Munich, Germany, at 11:30 p.m. (Korean time) on the 29th. With 62 points, Bayern is the sole leader. St. Pauli, in 15th place, is in danger of relegation.
Bayern posted match information regarding the St. Pauli match on their official account. Kim Min-jae was used as the main model here. It appears to signify that Kim Min-jae will play as a starter after returning from injury.
Controversy is expected. Bayern is in a very sensitive situation regarding injuries caused by player call-ups to national teams. The Korea Football Association also noted a confrontation with Bayern over Kim Min-jae's injury. Since October, Kim Min-jae has been struggling with his hamstring. Ultimately, his injury worsened before the A-match call-up, preventing him from coming to Korea.
Coach Hong Myung-bo expressed regret after hearing about Kim Min-jae's condition and released him from the call-up, stating, "There is a problem with Bayern's player protection." In Germany, there was a responsibility dispute with statements saying, "If the Korean national team was worried about Kim Min-jae, they should not have called him up since last October." If Bayern uses Kim Min-jae as a starter early in the match on the 29th, it would not make sense.
Due to team circumstances and multiple injuries, Bayern is considering playing Kim Min-jae, even though he is not at 100%. Bayern, which emphasized player protection during national team call-ups, argues, "We are the employer who pays the player’s salary."
Bayern is in a state of devastation in their defense line due to injuries. Goalkeeper Manuel Neuer is out indefinitely due to a calf injury. Alphonso Davies has also suffered severe damage with an anterior cruciate ligament tear. On top of that, Kim Min-jae's partner, Dayo Upamecano, is out for at least three months due to a knee injury.
There are sufficient reasons for Bayern to push Kim Min-jae to play despite his condition. Bayern is preparing legal action, claiming that the Canada Soccer Association is responsible for Davies' injury.
According to Bayern, Davies complained of fatigue after the match against Mexico, but the Canadian national team did not acknowledge it, leading to a worsening of his injury. Moreover, Davies reportedly did not fully understand his injury during the 12-hour flight back to Germany.
Kim Min-jae is expected to coordinate well with Eric Dier. Initially, there were projections that Hiroki Ito would replace Kim Min-jae. However, if Kim Min-jae plays, there is no reason to use Hiroki Ito.
Kim Min-jae has been struggling with his hamstring since last October. Ultimately, his injury worsened before the A-match call-up, preventing him from coming to Korea. After sufficient rest during the A-match break, Kim Min-jae joined the team training early. However, he is still not in 100% condition.
Coach Hong Myung-bo expressed regret after releasing Kim Min-jae from the call-up, stating, "There is a problem with Bayern's player protection." In response, there was a responsibility dispute in Germany, stating, "If the Korean national team was worried about Kim Min-jae, they should not have called him up since last October."
Ultimately, it seems that Kim Min-jae cannot rest comfortably in a situation where his club is in crisis. Kim Min-jae is expected to play for the first time in 17 days after the Champions League match against Bayer Leverkusen on March 12.
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