"Kim Min-jae's substitution, a mistake by coach Kompany."

GMX reported on the 11th (Korean time) that "there was a prevailing expectation that Thomas Müller would fill the position left by the attacking midfielder Jamal Musiala, who suffered a hamstring injury. Coach Kompany made a different choice, assigning the versatile defender and midfielder Raphäel Guerreiro to coordinate the attack," noting that "this decision sparked controversy among German football experts."

Christoph Kramer, a former defensive midfielder who played for Bayer Leverkusen and Borussia Mönchengladbach, noted through Amazon Prime Video, "If I were the coach, I would have started Müller."

Matthias Sammer, a legendary sweeper of German football from the 1990s, also expressed disappointment, stating, "It is not easy to explain Kompany's decision."

Bayern Munich suffered a disappointing 1-2 loss to Inter Milan in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals held at Fußball Arena in Munich, Germany, on the 9th.

Bayern, who welcomed the Serie A leaders Inter Milan to their home, faced defeat in the first match and will need to secure a victory in the second leg away match to advance to the semifinals.

On this day, Bayern started the match in a 4-2-3-1 formation. Harry Kane was deployed as the primary striker, with Leroy Sané, Raphäel Guerreiro, and Michael Oliseh in the attacking positions. The midfield was handled by Joshua Kimmich and Leon Goretzka, while the defense consisted of Josip Stanišić, Eric Dier, Kim Min-jae, and Konrad Laimer. The goalkeeper's gloves were worn by Jonas Urbig.

The early momentum was captured by the home team Bayern. They pressured Inter Milan with quick attacks utilizing both flanks and, in the 13th minute of the first half, Oliseh's sharp cross was converted into a shot by Kane, but it was blocked by goalkeeper Jan Sommer. Then, in the 15th minute, Oliseh’s long-range shot was on target but nullified.

A decisive moment occurred in the 25th minute. After breaking through the flank, Oliseh provided a perfect chance to Kane, but Kane's shot hit the post.

Inter Milan did not remain passive either. In the 33rd minute of the first half, Lautaro Martínez targeted the space behind Munich through a quick counterattack, but Kim Min-jae quickly covered and prevented a goal.

Soon after, a goal was scored. In the 38th minute of the first half, Augusto's cross from the left side was deflected by Tumaan, and Lautaro calmly found the net. The first half ended with Inter Milan leading by one goal.

In the second half, Bayern struggled with attack coordination. The absence of Jamal Musiala due to injury was greatly felt, and in the 19th minute of the second half, Guerreiro's shot went wide.

In the 30th minute of the second half, coach Vincent Kompany made a decisive move. He replaced Kim Min-jae, Sané, and Guerreiro with Sasa Božić, Serge Gnabry, and Thomas Müller.

This substitution soon had an effect. In the 40th minute of the second half, Kimmich's cross was headed down by Laimer, and Müller calmly scored, bringing the match back to a tie.

The joy was short-lived. In the 43rd minute of the second half, the left defense wobbled again. Davide Frattesi accurately finished Augusto's cross, allowing Inter Milan to regain the lead. This moment highlighted the disorganization of the defensive line after Kim Min-jae's departure, coupled with Dier's slow response.

The match ultimately ended in a 1-2 defeat for Bayern, and after suffering a shocking loss at home, Munich must secure a reversal in the away second leg to reach the semifinals.

Although Thomas Müller has seen his role within the team diminish this year, he has recorded 3 goals and 1 assist in 11 UEFA Champions League matches.

He also showcased his scoring instincts during the match against Inter Milan, coming off the bench in the second half to net the equalizer.

GMX noted, "Considering that Guerreiro has remained scoreless with 1 goal in 8 matches on the same stage, the argument for 'starting Müller' gains strength. Indeed, Guerreiro recorded the lowest number of touches among Bayern players in the first half of the quarterfinal's first leg, remaining silent."

It also referenced the timing of Kim Min-jae's substitution. Kim Min-jae, who has suffered from achilles tendinopathy since October of last year and has recently experienced sore throat and back pain, was substituted in the 29th minute of the second half.

On this day, Bayern Munich's defense managed to secure only 48% of ball possession during the clashes. The absence of key defenders such as Dayot Upamecano and Alphonso Davies due to injuries was clearly felt.

Benedikt Höwedes, a member of the 2014 World Cup-winning team, stated in an interview published by GMX, "Bayern Munich gradually lost focus. (In particular) the players positioned in the back four did not challenge actively, and Inter Milan maximized that opportunity. This led to an astonishing efficiency of converting 2 out of 4 shots on target into goals," pointing out the shortcomings related to the vacant positions of the top-class speed and advancement of Davies and Upamecano.

GMX pointed out that "much like the starting issue with Müller, the substitution of Kim Min-jae can also be considered a mistake made by coach Kompany. It was a clear error to deploy a fullback as a center-back in a crucial match."

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