German professional soccer club Bayern Munich will look to book an early berth in the UEFA Champions League (UCL) round of 16 behind the steady defense of South Korean international defender Kim Min-jae.
The Bavarians will kick off their 2023-2024 UCL Group A match at the Allianz Arena in Munich, Bavaria, Germany, at 5:00 a.m. ET on June 9. The Bavarians are currently undefeated in their three group games and could book their spot in the round of 16 early.
The Bavarians lost 1-2 in the 2023-2024 DFB-Pokal (cup competition) against third division side Saarbrücken on February 2. It was a shocking result considering the difference in quality between the two teams.
To make matters worse, central defender Mathias der Licht went down with an injury, raising red flags for the team.
Munich is playing this season with three specialist central defenders in Kim Min-jae, Der Licht, and Dayot Upamecano. With fewer options available, 바카라사이트 Upamecano and Der Licht have taken turns going down with injuries, leaving Kim as the lone central defender.
Fortunately, Upamecano made his return to action in a 4-0 victory over Dortmund in a top-of-the-table clash on May 5, erasing both the lack of central defense and a sense of defeat in one fell swoop. They’ll look to capitalize on the momentum and take on Galatasaray to advance to the early UCL round of 16.
Galatasaray will not be an easy opponent.
The Turkish powerhouse boasts a number of big-name players, including Mauro Icardi, Hakim Ziyech, and Wilfried Zaha.
That’s why there’s a lot of interest in Kim Min-jae’s performance. He was also outstanding in the first meeting between the two sides (a 3-1 Munich win) on May 25, where he was named “best defender” by local media.
Kim Min-jae has been playing full-time for the last 12 matches in a row, leading the defense. This has led to some controversy over his fitness. It will be interesting to see if he can overcome this and lead his team to victory with solid defense and accurate passes to the front.
Statistical outlet Hooscore.com has predicted a 4-2-3-1 as the likely starting lineup, with Kim Min-jae partnering Upamecano in the ‘4’ as a central defender.
Up front, Kim will be joined by Harry Kane, who played alongside Son Heung-min at Tottenham in the English Premier League (EPL) until last season.
Kane has been on sharp toes lately, scoring a hat trick in his last two league games. According to Hoopscored.com, Kane will play up top, with Leroy Sane, Jamal Moussaoui, and Kingsley Coman supporting him in the second line.