The big match that will decide the direction of Italy’s Serie A, Napoli and Juventus are all watching the ‘monster’.
Kim Min-jae started in the 17th round of Italian Serie A (2-0 Napoli win) in the 2022-203 season against Sampdoria held at Stadio Luigi Ferraris in Genoa, Italy on the 9th (hereinafter Korean time) and played only 45 minutes in the first half. This is the first time Kim Min-jae has been substituted out in an official Napoli match since joining. In the meantime, Kim Min-jae played all 15 Serie A games and 6 European Champions League games full-time, except for the 6th round match against Spezia, where he took a break.
He had already injured his calf muscle at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, so much attention was focused on this replacement out. The Italian press also showed great interest. First of all, it doesn’t appear to be in bad shape. An official from Kim Min-jae’s side said, “Fortunately, it doesn’t seem like a major injury. It seems that he will prepare for the next game.” Coach Luciano Spalletti also conveyed the meaning of the replacement as a precaution after the game, saying, “Kim Min-jae felt his muscles stiffen. We followed the instructions of the medical staff.” In fact, Kim Min-jae was caught sitting on a bench after being replaced and laughing and talking with his colleagues. 토토사이트
The reason neither Kim Min-jae nor Napoli took the risk against Sampdoria is because the next match is against Juventus. Napoli will face Juventus at home on the 14th. Currently, Napoli are in first place with 44 points and Juventus are in second place with 37 points. For Napoli, who are aiming for the championship after 33 years, the Juventus match is one of the biggest hurdles of the season. As the Napoli defense fluctuates depending on whether or not Kim Min-jae appears, it is very important whether or not Kim Min-jae is selected. In fact, Napoli conceded all points in friendly matches without Kim Min-jae.
Interestingly, Juventus is also keenly aware of whether Kim Min-jae will participate. Media specialized in Juventus, such as ‘Tuto Juve’, ‘Juventus News 24’, and ‘J Mania’, are scrambling to report on Min-jae Kim’s condition. Kim Min-jae showed off his fantastic performance in his first game after returning to the World Cup, against Inter Milan (0-1 Napoli loss), and showed off his health. Kim Min-jae is undoubtedly the best defender in Serie A this season.
I’ll have to watch the situation a little longer, but it seems that there is a high possibility of playing against Juventus. The fact that Kim Min-jae is the key player in the league’s 1st and 2nd place ‘Big Bang’ is a point where we can see his status once again.
