Kim Min-jae of the national soccer team did not attend training for two consecutive days... Expected to miss Uzbekistan match

(Cheonan = Yonhap News) Reporter Bae Jin-nam = Kim Min-jae (Bayern Munich), the main central defender of the Korean national soccer team, did not participate in team training for two days in a row and is unlikely to play in the match against Uzbekistan, the last game of the four-game series since the launch of 'Morenojo'.

Kim Min-jae did not participate in the national team's official training held at Korea Football Park in Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province on the 5th, a day before the friendly match against Uzbekistan, but did personal training separately indoors.

The national team will face Uzbekistan at Mir Stadium in Yongin at 8 p.m. on the 6th.

This is the last game of a four-game series that the national team will play from September to October under interim coach Robert Moreno (Spain).

According to a national team official, Kim Min-jae warmed up separately during the training that the national team reconvened on the 4th after staying out and resting after the game against Venezuela (0-0 draw) on the 2nd.

A representative of the national team said, "Kim Min-jae underwent separate recovery training for two days in a row," and added, "It is not a serious injury to the point where he will be called up, and he seems to have accumulated fatigue due to the many games he has played."

Kim Min-jae started as a central defender in all three games, from Morenojo's first game against Ecuador (3-0 win) on the 24th of last month, to Uruguay (1-4 loss) on the 28th, and then against Venezuela.

In the game against Venezuela, after being substituted in the 35th minute of the second half, he was seen chatting with coach Moreno with a frustrated expression, sitting on the bench and taking off his soccer shoes.

Kim Min-jae said in a post-game interview, “The team as a whole must fight, compete, and defend together. “I felt sorry for the defensive players today,” he said, adding, “Overall, it didn’t feel like we were all fighting together. “Even if we won 7-0 or 9-0 today, I wouldn’t have felt good,” he said with determination.

Then, regarding the match against Uzbekistan, “First of all, it is important for the team to come together as one. “Rather than individuals shining, the team must work as one to achieve results,” he said, adding, “In order to raise the team’s level, all players must ‘put their heads down’ and play hard.”

The national team selected left-footed center back Kim Tae-hyun (Kashima) as a player participating in the official press conference that day.

If Kim Min-jae cannot play against Uzbekistan, Kim Tae-hyun is expected to work with Lee Han-beom (Brugge) as the starter.