Bayern’s Kim Min-jae Leads Team to Victory Over Gladbach’s Jens Castrop in Bundesliga “Korean Derby”

Bayern Munich defender Kim Min-jae emerged victorious in a rare “Korean derby” in the Bundesliga, leading his side to a 3–0 win over Borussia Mönchengladbach and fellow Korean player Jens Castrop.

The match, held at Borussia-Park on Saturday during the eighth round of the 2025–26 Bundesliga season, saw Kim start as Bayern’s central defender, while Castrop — recently called up to the Korean national team — featured at right-back for the hosts.

Castrop, 22, who was born to a Korean mother and a German father, represented Korea during the World Cup qualifiers in September and October, sharing the pitch with Kim. Saturday’s clash marked the first time the pair faced one another as opponents at club level.

However, the contest ended prematurely for Castrop. In the 15th minute, he committed a reckless sliding tackle on Bayern’s Luis Díaz near the right touchline in his own half. After a VAR review, the referee upgraded the initial yellow card to a straight red in the 19th minute, leaving Gladbach to play with ten men for the remaining 70 minutes.

The early dismissal shifted the momentum of the match entirely. Bayern, initially frustrated by Gladbach’s compact defence, gradually assumed control as the hosts retreated deeper to cover the numerical disadvantage.

Kim, 29, seized the opportunity to deliver one of his most commanding performances of the campaign. Having recently lost his starting position to German defender Jonathan Tah, the Korean centre-back responded with a composed and authoritative display. He completed the full 90 minutes, marshalling Bayern’s back line and thwarting several Gladbach counterattacks.

In stoppage time of the first half, Kim sprinted back to halt a dangerous breakaway, and in the 74th minute, he pressed high to intercept a through ball. Around the half-hour mark, he even joined the attack, threading an incisive forward pass that nearly produced a goal.

Bayern eventually found their breakthrough after the interval. Joshua Kimmich opened the scoring in the 64th minute with a powerful low drive following a quick one-two on the edge of the box. Raphael Guerreiro doubled the lead five minutes later, finishing from close range after pouncing on a rebound, before Lennard Kahl sealed the victory in the 81st minute with a thunderous strike from distance.

Gladbach briefly threatened a comeback in the 75th minute when they were awarded a penalty, but midfielder Kevin Stöger struck the post, extinguishing any remaining hope for the home side.

The win preserved Bayern’s perfect start to the season — eight victories from eight matches — keeping them top of the Bundesliga table with 24 points. Gladbach, meanwhile, continued their poor run, languishing at the bottom with three draws and five defeats.

According to analytics platform FotMob, Kim completed 96 per cent of his passes and recorded nine recoveries, two clearances, and one interception, earning a match rating of 7.5 — the fourth highest among Bayern players. In contrast, Castrop received a 5.5 from FotMob and a 3.6 rating from SofaScore.

The contrast between the two Korean players could not have been starker: Kim reinforced his reputation as a defensive stalwart for the reigning champions, while Castrop’s rash challenge left his team chasing shadows for much of the match.

For Kim, the performance may prove pivotal in his quest to reclaim a regular starting role under Thomas Tuchel. For Castrop, it serves as a hard lesson early in his international career — a reminder that composure and discipline are as vital as passion when representing both club and country.