"It's the 'Kim Min-jae dilemma.'
Germany's 'TZ' reported on the 31st of last month (Korea time) that 'Vincent Kompany (39), the coach, is caught in the 'Kim Min-jae dilemma.'
The media stated that 'Bayern Munich's defense is in serious trouble due to multiple injuries. As a result, Kim Min-jae (29, Bayern Munich), who is not in optimal condition, must continue to play. This is inevitably a risky choice for Coach Kompany.'
Bayern previously announced on their official website on the 30th that 'Hiroki Ito suffered a metatarsal fracture. Medical examinations confirmed that he had re-injured his right metatarsal fracture. Ito was injured in the match against St. Pauli, which ended in a 3-2 victory. He came on in the 58th minute but had to leave the pitch in the 89th minute, and will now be out for a long time.'
According to German 'Bild,' Ito will need approximately three months to recover and is confirmed to be out for the season. Having already injured the same area for the third time, there is a significant possibility that the recovery period could be even longer depending on the rehabilitation process.
The issue is that Bayern has already lost Alphonso Davies and Kim Min-jae's center-back partner, Dayot Upamecano.
Davies, who was called up to the Canadian national team for the March international matches, suffered a knee injury during a game against the United States. He was a starter, but collapsed just 12 minutes into the match due to injury.
German 'Bild' explained, 'Upamecano is definitely out for the season unless a miracle happens. Currently, he needs at least three months to recover. He could be out even longer. Like Davies, Upamecano will require surgery. Only after the surgery can we determine exactly how long he will be unavailable.'
As teammates continue to fall, Kim Min-jae's role has grown even more significant. He has been playing full-time without rest since the beginning of the season, recording the second-most playing time on the team after Joshua Kimmich. While Upamecano missed games due to minor injuries, Kim Min-jae has not been able to take breaks.
Kim Min-jae has been complaining of Achilles tendon pain since October of last year and ultimately collapsed with a recent injury. There was also a failed call-up for the South Korean national team. As there is no reliable defender in the team, he returned after about two weeks and played 90 minutes in the match against St. Pauli. Despite showing clear signs of fatigue, he continued to play until the final whistle.
TZ stated on the 31st, 'Despite long-term pain, Kim Min-jae plans to continue playing,' noting that 'At the end of the season, Kim Min-jae will have no rest. Amid the lack of personnel in the defense, Kompany is inevitably in a situation where he has to take risks.'
It continued, 'Bayern is challenging for its 34th Bundesliga title and is preparing for the Champions League quarter-finals (April 9 and 17, against Inter Milan). Coach Kompany must devise an emergency plan for the defense. Davies is out for about seven months due to a torn knee ligament, and Upamecano also faces a high risk of being out for the season due to foreign matter in the knee joint. With Ito also sidelined, the defense is on the verge of collapse.'
The media reported that 'Bayern, aiming for the Champions League final 'Finale Da Home' to be held this season in Munich, may have to face world-class attackers such as Lautaro Martinez from Inter Milan, Robert Lewandowski from Barcelona, Ramin Yamal, Raphinha, and Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Junior from Real Madrid. In front of such opponents, it will be difficult for Kompany to manage without Kim Min-jae.'
It added, 'Currently, Kim Min-jae is the only center-back who is fast and possesses the vertical build-up capability demanded by Coach Kompany. However, he has been suffering from Achilles tendonitis since last October. Recently, he even gave up participating in the World Cup qualifying match for the South Korean national team to focus on recovery, but he is still not fully recovered.'
Moreover, Kim Min-jae recently showed cold symptoms and has developed back pain due to severe coughing. Despite this situation, he started as a starter and played 90 minutes.
TZ mentioned that Joao Palhinha offers hope. The media explained, 'In fact, Kim Min-jae still needs a break. Coach Kompany and the coaching staff are in trouble. Should they use the slower Eric Dier and Josip Stanisic, or continue to push Kim Min-jae to play? If Kim Min-jae were to be out for several weeks, the Champions League could essentially become a disaster.' They noted that in order to reduce the defensive burden, the utilization of defensive midfielder Joao Palhinha is being considered.
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