With Min-jae Kim, FC Bayern managed a transfer coup. After years of searching, which cost more than 300 million euros, Kim should now be consistent in the central defender position.
Min-jae Kim is now officially a Bayern Munich player. The 26-year-old South Korean comes to Munich from Naples as a beacon of hope. He is strong, fast, uncompromising, intelligent when playing – and above all, reliable. After just one season in Naples, he is said to be the chosen one who, after years of searching, is finally bringing stability to the Munich defence. A search that brought neither success nor continuity despite high investments.
It was a typical gameplay last season. Bayern have problems up front to score goals, but somehow they were able to deliver. But a mistake in their own defense brought the opposing team back into play – and ultimately caused a point loss. Whether against Leipzig, Manchester City, SC Freiburg, FC Augsburg or Mainz 05: the list of devastating defensive mistakes from last season is long and painful for everyone who supports FC Bayern.
FC Bayern in the Bundesliga: Many mistakes, many goals conceded
Above all, Dayot Upamecano played negatively in the limelight in the decisive phase of the season with defensive mistakes. But the 24-year-old central defender was not the sole culprit in the shaky Munich back line. According to the statistics provider Opta, 19 defensive errors by FC Bayern led to shots on goal by the opposing team in the Bundesliga – an absolute top value.
Second is FC Augsburg with 14 errors. Whether Borussia Dortmund (9 mistakes), Union Berlin (6) or RB Leipzig (3) – the values of the other top Bundesliga teams are far below. And compared to the top five European leagues, only five teams were more prone to making mistakes than the German champions.
Gone are the days when the FC Bayern goal was just a target for opponents that could be aimed at from afar. Goals were a rare occurrence, especially in the Guardiola years. From an average of 19 goals conceded per season in the first four years of Munich’s ongoing title run, this figure has risen to 36.6 in the past five years.
Dayot Upamecano fouls Manchester City’s Erling Haaland in the Champions League quarter-finals
bavaria Central defender: Over 300 million and no solution
This is also due to the fact that Munich, despite high transfer expenses, have never been able to find a constant line-up in the back. There was constant change in the Bayern cabin, especially in the central defender position. For Medhi Benatia, Mats Hummels, Niklas Süle, Lucas Hernández, Benjamin Pavard, Tanguy Nianzou, Upamecano and Matthijs de Ligt, the Munich team has spent more than 300 million euros in recent years. The record champion was not really satisfied with most of them.
The Nianzou project didn’t work out. Ultimately, Benatia, Süle and Hummels were not classified as “world class”. The time of record purchase Hernandéz came to an end after many injuries – and Pavard would also like to change clubs. Upamecano, despite his young age, is likely to get his last chance to prove he has what it takes for Bayern next season.
Min-jae Kim: Optimism despite small sample
The series champions were only really satisfied with de Ligt. In his first season, the young Dutchman proved he is a player who could finally bring consistency in the central defender position. Now Kim should do the same as a defensive partner. But whether Kim can actually be the long-term solution for Munich remains to be seen. Because even if Kim was the best defender in Serie A last year, he is still a relatively unknown quantity in Europe. It was only the second season he played in Europe, the first (after Fenerbahce Istanbul) in a top flight.
The price of Kim is comparatively low. And there is enough reason for hope: With a pass rate of over 90 percent, he is as sure of the ball as his new colleagues de Ligt and Upamecano. However, his duel rate is considerably better: 87 percent of the time he wins the duels he enters. This is a significant increase compared to the 62 percent of Bayern defenders – however, Kim will defend significantly higher in Munich than in Naples and will have less support. When it comes to headers, he is as strong as De Ligt.
But perhaps the best news: The 26-year-old South Korean is considered an absolutely reliable central defender who hardly ever makes a mistake. That alone would do the Bayern defense good.
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Source: BR24Sport on the radio 07/19/2023 – 8:54 a.m
