Kim Min-jae's Bayern let slip Champions League final to Real Madrid 4-3

Football

Published: 09 May. 2024, 13:32 Updated: 09 May. 2024, 16:00

Kim Min-jae's Bayern let slip Champions League final to Real Madrid 4-3

Bayern Munich's Konrad Laimer, left, Mathys Tel, Manuel Neuer and Kim Min-jae look dejected after losing 4-3 on aggregate to Real Madrid in the semifinals of the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday in Madrid, Spain. [REUTERS/YONHAP]

A year that could have seen a Korean derby in the highest echelon of European football will see zero Korean players in the UEFA Champions League final after Kim Min-jae’s Bayern Munich crashed out of the tournament on Wednesday, falling 4-3 on aggregate to Real Madrid after losing the second leg 2-1.

The German club will now end their season trophyless for the first time since 2012 after earlier losing the Bundesliga title to Bayer Leverkusen, snipping an 11-year winning streak in the top-tier German division. They crashed out of Germany's DFB-Pokal in the second round in November last year to third-tier FC Saarbrucken.

It was make-or-break for both sides at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in Madrid, Spain on Wednesday, heading onto the pitch tied after drawing 2-2 in Bayern territory last week.

Kim, who faced backlash after the first semifinal leg for being directly involved in Real Madrid’s equalizer as Bayern manager Thomas Tuchel called him “too greedy,” played just 14 minutes in the away game, coming on as a sub in the 76th minute — although both Madrid goals were scored after Kim came on.

Bayern Munich's Kim Min-jae attempts a header that hits the bar. [REUTERS/YONHAP]

Neither side found the back of the net in the first half.

Bayern opened the scoring in the 68th minute, Alphonso Davies cutting down the left to receive a soaring Harry Kane cross, evading the Los Blancos defense to send the ball above goalkeeper Andriy Lunin and into the top right.

But their lead would be short-lived. VAR disallowed what could have been the equalizer in the 72nd minute, after which Kim replaced midfielder Leroy Sane to join the back line. And Kim joined just in time to see Los Blancos tie things up in the 88th minute, striker Joselu getting the job done from right in front of the net.

Real Madrid's Joselu, left, vies with Bayern Munich's Kim Min-jae during the UEFA Champions League semifinal second leg match at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in Madrid, Spain on Wednesday. [XINHUA/YONHAP]

Without leaving Bayern any room to breathe, it was Joselu again who handed Real Madrid the lead in the 90+1 minute after capitalizing on an Antonio Rudiger cross — from right in front of the net.

And with a last-ditch effort in the 90+13 minute called offside, it was heartbreak for Bayern, who failed to win over Real Madrid for the ninth straight time.

Bayern have three games to go in the Bundesliga season. They next play Wolfsburg on Sunday at home.

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