Kim Min-jae ‘too greedy’ in Bayern’s 2-2 draw with Real Madrid: Thomas Tuchel

Football

Published: 01 May. 2024, 13:13 Updated: 01 May. 2024, 18:01

Kim Min-jae ‘too greedy’ in Bayern’s 2-2 draw with Real Madrid: Thomas Tuchel

Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior, left, fights for the ball with Bayern's Kim Min-jae during the Champions League semifinal first leg match between Bayern Munich and Real Madrid at the Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany on Tuesday. [AP/YONHAP]

Kim Min-jae, who played a full 90 minutes for the first time in nearly a month in Bayern Munich’s 2-2 draw with Real Madrid in the first leg of the Champions League semifinals on Tuesday, drew heat from his manager for being directly involved both times the German club conceded a goal to their Spanish rivals.

Bayern manager Thomas Tuchel called the Korean defender “too greedy” in comments after the match, in which Kim saw a yellow card and handed Real Madrid a lifeline penalty in the 83rd minute.

"He was too greedy twice,” Tuchel said about Kim after the match, according to Bayern update account iMiaSanMia. “He made the first move too early against Vinicius [Junior] in the first goal and got caught by Toni Kroos' pass. He speculated and was too aggressive.

"In the second goal, unfortunately, it was another mistake. We were five against two, we had the numbers. There was no need to defend that aggressively against Rodrygo. The moment Eric [Dier] was about to help, [Kim] brought [Rodrygo] down. Unfortunately with their quality, these mistakes get punished. But well, it happens. We have to move on."

The two European giants met on Tuesday in the first leg of the Champions League semifinals at Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany.

Kim, who has been largely sidelined at the German club since returning from national team duty for the AFC Asian Cup in February, was part of the starting XI despite clocking just 14 minutes in his side’s last quarterfinal clash with Arsenal and being on the bench in the previous two Champions League matches.

Real Madrid opened the scoring in the 24th minute as forward Vinicius took a clear shot on an open Bayern goal.

Kim reacted early, stopping in front of Vinicius as he seemed to anticipate the ball, but Kroos shot it down the middle to a speeding Vinicius, who outran Kim and the rest of Bayern’s defensive line.

Bayern equalized early into the second half and a successful penalty by Harry Kane just four minutes later gave the home side the lead in the 57th minute, which carried them into the dwindling minutes of the game.

But some aggressive defending by Kim in the 82nd minute, the defender pushing down Real Madrid forward Rodrygo as he charged toward the net, gave the visitors a lifeline in the form of a penalty kick — which Vinicius slotted calmly into the net to deny Bayern a win.

Bayern Munich's Kim Min-jae, right, fouls Real Madrid's Rodrygo to concede a penalty during the match at Allianz Arena on Tuesday. [REUTERS/YONHAP]

Bayern Munich's Kim Min-jae, left, remonstrates with referee Clement Turpin after a penalty is awarded to Real Madrid at Allianz Arena in Madrid, Germany on Tuesday. [REUTERS/YONHAP]

Kim also received a yellow card, for pulling down Rodrygo’s shirt in the scramble.

“We were a bit naive in defending and gave a penalty away, and yeah, that’s why it feels a little bit like a loss. But it’s not,” Tuchel said in a post-match interview.

But Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer defended the defender, saying that mistakes are part of football.

“We spoke about it in the dressing room. Mistakes happen, it’s part of football. It doesn’t mean he’ll perform badly in the next games,” Neuer told German broadcaster Sport1. "It wasn’t all bad today either. He played very well in parts today. But in some crucial moments, he perhaps didn’t make the right decisions, which always happens in football.”

Bayern next meet Real Madrid in the second leg of the semifinals at Santiago Bernabeu in Madrid, Spain on May 8, local time.

BY MARY YANG [mary.yang@joongang.co.kr]