Matthias De Ligt (24, Munich), who looked set to form a formidable center back pairing with ‘monster’ Kim Min-jae (27, Munich), is losing the trust of coach Thomas Tuchel.
Kim Min-jae has started three consecutive Bundesliga games in the 2023-24 season, which is now in its third round, and has solidified his place in the side. His partner, however, is not De Ligt, but Dayo Upamecano. De Ligt has fallen out of the starting lineup entirely.
When Kim was signed, there was no doubt that De Ligt would be his center back partner. It looked like the two would be the best center back pairing in the Bundesliga. However, De Ligt has been a substitute in all three games.
As reported by TZ, “Tuchel is not a fan of De Ligt. He is critical of De Ligt’s build-up play. He is too slow and makes too many side passes. Both Upamecano and Kim Min-jae are prioritized over him,” the report said.
De Ligt suffered a calf injury last season, but played 90 minutes for the Dutch national team, showing that he is still fit. However, he hasn’t had a chance to play in Munich.
The Bavarians have a tough schedule in the Bundesliga and the Champions League. As a result, the three center backs will have to rotate and work together. That means we’ll be seeing a lot of the Kim-Min-Jae and De Ligt combination.바카라
Coincidentally, the build-up, forward passing, and passing speed that De Lichte has been criticized for is something Tuchel sees as a strength of Kim’s. “He passes at the right speed, not too fast, not too slow. His first touch is concise and his second touch is a pass. He’s not afraid to pass forward,” Tuchel praised.
This is why Tuchel continues to use him despite the fact that he made a lot of misplaced passes in the first game.