Despite the departure of Kim Min-jae (Bayern Munich), there is a reason why his name is constantly being mentioned in Italy. Napoli (Italy), which has been suffering a slump this season since winning the Serie A title last season, faced a crushing defeat in the Cup this time. The opponent team is the promotion team for this season. It is truly a shocking result.
Napoli was eliminated after losing 0-4 to Prosinone in the round of 16 in the 2023-24 Copa Italy at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona in Naples, Italy, on the 20th (Korea time). Prosinone is a team that remains 13th in Serie A this season and a promoted team that was promoted after reaching the top of Serie B (second division) last season.
Brazilian defenders Natang and Leo Oestigor, who replaced Kim Min-jae, stood at the center-back line for Napoli, while Pierluigi Golini, who played on loan for Tottenham, defended the goal and built a defense team. He had difficulties from the first half. He held more than 60 percent of the team, but the number of shots was 6-5. Most of the six shots came from the outside of the penalty box.
The problem was the defense that collapsed in the second half. Enzo Barrenechea allowed the first goal at 20 minutes in the second half, but Giuseppe Caso allowed the second goal at five minutes, driving him to the brink. In the second half of extra time, he allowed two more goals including penalty kicks, and suffered 0-4 defeat. The number of shots in the second half is 3-8 inferior. Notably, the opponent’s eight shots in the second half were all on goal, seven of which came from inside the penalty box. It also meant that the defense team failed to clearly block the opponent’s attack.
Napoli was eliminated early on the trip to Copa Italy due to the defeat. Although Kim Min-jae was eliminated in the round of 16 last season, the tournament was small enough to replace Kim Min-jae in the 37th minute of the second half after he was excluded from the starting lineup. Napoli’s top priority last season was winning Serie A. This season, which was virtually pushed out of the league championship competition, has to put a lot of weight on Copa Italy, but it faces the humiliating result of an early elimination in the round of 16 and a 0-4 defeat by the promoted team.
The Serie A team’s best performance for the first time in 33 years last season, when Kim Min-jae played as a key defender, was effectively eliminated early on. Napoli is ranking fifth with eight wins, three draws and five losses (27 points) in 16 Serie A matches. The gap with first-runner Inter Milan is whopping 14 points. Compared to last season’s 28 wins, six draws and four losses, the team already lost one more game even before half of the losses had passed. The defense, which had 28 goals, is already struggling this season with 19 goals and more than one point per game.
The fact that he often mentions his longing for Kim Min-jae in Italy also means that his vacancy is huge. Recently, local media Siamo Napoli also criticized, “Naples, who showed the best defense with 28 goals in 38 games last season and an average of 0.73 goals per game, allowed 17 goals in 14 games this season.” “The transfer of Kim Min-jae has had a big impact on his defense, and Natang (who was recruited instead) is not a replacement for Kim Min-jae.”
Kim Min-jae played in 35 league games (35 starting games) with Napoli last season, playing as a key defender of his team, contributing to his team’s victory in Serie A. It was the first time in 33 years that Napoli won the Serie A title since Diego Maradona was a member of the team. Kim Min-jae was honored with the Serie A “best defender” award, which is given to only one out of all defenders in the Serie A. Since becoming the first Asian defender to be nominated for the Ballon d’Or, he has enjoyed the privilege of being ranked 22nd. 바카라사이트
Kim Min-jae (Napoli), a “steel-walled defender” who won the Serie A 2022-2023 season’s best defender award, returned to Korea via Incheon International Airport on the afternoon of the 6th. Kim Min-jae is leaving the arrivals hall with the trophy. Meanwhile, Kim Min-jae will enter the army training center for basic military training on the 15th.