The season of the monster Kim Min-jae (27-Napoli) is over. He received an unexpected warning and will miss the final. However, it’s clear that he had the best season of his career. He put on a great performance that made his name known around the world.
Napoli drew 2-2 away to Bologna in the 37th round of the 2022-23 Italian Serie A at the Stadio Renato Dall’Ara in Bologna, Italy, on Aug. 28 (KST). Napoli, who have already clinched the league title, added the draw to their season record of 27 W, 6 D, 4 L, and 87 points. Napoli will finish the season with a home game against Sampdoria in the final 38th round on March 3. It’s been a memorable time for Napoli fans. This season, Napoli reached the top of the league for the first time in 33 years, since the 1989-90 season when club legend Diego Maradona played. They will finish the season in front of their home fans in their final game.
However, Kim Min-jae will not play against Sampdoria. He started at center back, but was shown a yellow card in the 39th minute for trying to stop an attack by Nicolas Dominguez near the halfway line. It was Kim’s fifth caution of the season. In Serie A, players who receive five yellow cards receive a one-match suspension. Napoli are out of the Champions League in the quarterfinals, so they only have one game left in the league schedule. This will be the last game of the season for Kim Min-jae in Bologna. This season, Kim has scored two goals and provided two assists in 35 league appearances. His solid defense in every game has made him one of the best defenders in Serie A. European soccer statistics site Fúscore.com also gave him a high season rating of 7.07. They ranked him in the league’s best 11 alongside Fiorentina defender Lucas Martinez (7.10).
Despite the yellow card, Kim’s performance wasn’t bad. Partnered at center-back with his ‘partner’ Amir Rahmani, Kim played a total of 78 minutes before being subbed off in the 33rd minute of the second half with backup João Jesus. He had 78 ball touches, one tackle, and one clearance. His passing success rate was 91% and he was also responsible for the buildup at the back. He completed 71% of his long passes. A lively offense. Fúscore.com gave Kim a rating of 6.07 for the Fiorentina game, while another statistical source, Footmob, gave him a rating of 6.6.
Kim Min-jae concentrates on the game. /AFPBBNews=News1
On this day, Kim was full of fight. He actively called out to his teammates and led the team’s play. In the 28th minute, he delivered an accurate long pass to Alessio Gervin on the opposite right flank. Even after receiving a yellow card in the 39th minute, Kim was not deterred. In first-half stoppage time, he picked up the ball in his own half and wasted no time in sending a forward pass. In the second half, Kim continued his tough defense. In the 30th minute of the second half, his dribble inside the Napoli penalty box was a bit too long, but he won the battle with the opposing striker and kept the ball. Kim Min-jae was substituted in the 33rd minute to finish the game.
The highest rated player was Napoli’s Victor ‘Bomber’ Osimhen. He rattled the net twice on the day to complete his multi-goal performance. His rating of 8.07 on Fourscore.com and 8.8 on FootsieMob were the highest for both teams. Osimhen opened the scoring in the 14th minute. He capitalized on a misplaced pass from opposing goalkeeper Ukash Skorupski. Osimen intercepted the ball inside the penalty box, saw the goal was empty, and calmly slotted it home. Osimhen scored his second goal nine minutes into the second half. Napoli went up 2-0. Nigeria’s Osimhen is on pace to become Serie A’s top scorer this season. He has scored 25 goals in 31 league appearances, including this one. He leads the league in goals scored despite missing a game early in the season due to injury. Inter Milan striker Lautaro Martinez (21 goals) is second in that category, but the gap between the two is so wide that Osimhen will win his first individual title barring an upset.
Napoli, however, were unable to protect Osimhen’s multi-goal haul. They conceded a goal to Lewis Ferguson in the 18th minute of the second half to fall behind 1-2. Pierluigi Golini, who started in place of Napoli’s first-choice goalkeeper Alex Meret, made a good save. The ball didn’t go far enough and landed in front of Ferguson in the box. Napoli conceded a late equalizer in the 39th minute through Lorenzo De Silvestri on a header. Napoli’s aerial defense became lax after Kim Min-jae’s substitution.스포츠토토
This game could have been Kim’s farewell match for Napoli. He is receiving offers from a number of big clubs. Liverpool, Newcastle (England), and Paris Saint-Germain (France) have been rumored to be interested in him, as well as his longtime club Manchester United. In July, Kim’s buyout clause will be triggered, which allows him to leave the club without the consent of the club for about three months. This is a unique clause that only applies to foreign clubs, except for Serie A teams, and the amount of money is not set. It can range from £43 million to £52 million, depending on the performance and financial situation of the club that wants to sign him. Many clubs are likely to try to sign Kim during this period.