Kim Min-jae is back in the starting lineup after missing a game and resting for over a month.
Eintracht Frankfurt vs. Bayern Munich in the 14th round of the 2023-2024 German Bundesliga will take place at Deutsche Bank Park in Frankfurt, Germany, on Sept. 9, starting at 11:30 p.m. ET. About an hour before kickoff, Bayern’s starting lineup was announced.
As usual, Kim Min-Jae will start in the center of defense, partnering with Dayo Upamecano. Alfonso Davies and Nusair Mazrouei will be on the left and right. In goal behind the back four is captain Manuel Neuer.
In midfield, the German duo of Joachim Kimmich and Leon Goretzka. Leroy Janet, Eric Maxime Choupo-Moting, and Kingsley Coman form the second line. Up front, Harry Kane remains unchanged. It’s a lineup that’s made up entirely of first-team players.
It’s been a while since Bayern have played a game. Their home game against Union Berlin was canceled on November 2 due to heavy snowfall. Kim had previously suffered a minor hip bruise in Cologne on Nov. 25 and missed the UEFA Champions League (UCL) match against Cohenhagen on Nov. 30. The cancelations followed, giving him two weeks to rest and train before returning to action.
It was a much-needed break for Bayern’s starters, including Kim Min-jae and Harry Kane, who had been experiencing ups and downs in their performances due to depleted stamina. Bayern had an unusually busy schedule in October and November, but in terms of the season as a whole, they play four fewer regular season games than the other big leagues, have no League Cup, and had an early exit from the DFB-Pokal (German FA Cup). The postponement of the Union game was more of a blessing in disguise.
With this start, Kim Min-jae continued his streak of starting all 13 games since joining the Bundesliga. He is one of only three players to do so, along with fellow signing Harry Kane and Bayern’s established star Leroy Sane.
Center back Matthias Düricht, who is reportedly close to returning to action, has yet to make the bench. Bayern’s bench is devoid of professional center backs. Unless something drastic happens, Kim Min-Jae and Upamecano are the two most likely candidates for full-time digestion.