Kim Min-jae (26, Naples) left the stadium with a dark expression.
Napoli lost 0-1 to AC Milan in the first leg of the quarterfinals of the UEFA Champions League (UCL) in the 2022-23 season held in San Siro메이저사이트, Milan, Italy on the 13th (Korean time). Napoli can advance to the semifinals only if they win by more than two goals in the home game in the second leg of the quarterfinals to be held on the 19th.
The team that dominated the match was Napoli. However, in the 40th minute of the first half, AC Milan allowed a counterattack, and in this scene, Braim Dias gave up the first goal. Faced with an unexpected blow, Napoli lost composure due to ambiguous referee decisions.
Finally, Min-jae Kim, the core of Napoli’s defense, protested vehemently to the referee in the 33rd minute of the second half. When a foul was called in an aerial contest situation, Kim Min-jae shouted loudly as he punched in the air. Seeing this, the referee summoned Kim Min-jae and resolutely pulled out a yellow card.
It was an unnecessary appeal to both the player himself and the team. Due to the warning received that day, Kim Min-jae cannot participate in the second leg of the quarterfinals. This is because he received 1 warning each in the match against Rangers in the group stage and against Frankfurt in the round of 16, and accumulated 3 copies.
The Italian media ‘Calcio Napoli 24’ released a video of the Napoli players on their way home from work. Kim Min-jae passed through the Mixed Zone (joint coverage area) and left the stadium wearing a Napoli hooded T-shirt. Local reporters in Italy called Min-jae Kim, but Min-jae Kim left work without an interview.
It was a game that would have been very disappointing. Di Canio, an Italian commentator who played as a striker for Napoli and AC Milan during his active career, said, “It was better to curse at Min-jae Kim. Kim Min-jae received a warning for his excessive gestures.”
Kim Min-jae recorded a 100% success rate in aerial competition in this game. He competed for headers on a total of seven occasions, all of which were successful. Aside from that, he had 3 interceptions and 7 recoveries. Pass accuracy came out to be 85%. As Kim Min-jae rampaged in defense, Olivier Giroud (AC Milan) finished the game without even hitting a single shot on target.
The second round is the problem. Napoli’s top priority is to prevent Kim Min-jae’s vacancy. Among the defenders, there is no player other than Joao Jejus to digest the central defense. A side defender or defensive midfielder must temporarily fill the position of Kim Min-jae.