Lee Kang-in starts full-time in PSG return match… Show off your offense and defense presence

Lee Kang-in (Paris Saint-Germain), who returned to Paris, France, made his return as a Ligue 1 starter. This is the first time since last August that Lee Kang-in has started in a league game. He played on the pitch for 90 minutes and contributed to the team’s victory.

Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) won 3-0 in the 9th round of Ligue 1 of the 2023-24 season against Strasbourg held at Parc des Princes in Paris, France on the morning of the 22nd (Korean time). PSG took the lead in the first half thanks to Kylian Mbappe’s 1 goal and 1 assist. Afterwards, Fabian Ruiz scored a key goal in the second half, earning 3 points at home.토토사이트

This game attracted attention as Lee Kang-in’s return as a League 1 starter. It has been about two months since Lee Kang-in started in the league against Toulouse last August. After joining PSG last July, he raised expectations by starting in his first two league games, but had to rest for nearly a month due to injury. He only returned in September, but immediately left the team to compete in the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games (AG). He won the gold medal in AG, but this time he came to Korea due to the international match period in October. Lee Kang-in started in both of the two consecutive international matches (Tunisia and Vietnam) in October and played full time, scoring three goals.

Lee Kang-in wore the PSG uniform again after a difficult forced march. PSG coach Luis Enrique expressed his expectations by starting him right away.

Lee Kang-in played on the right wing. This is a position he has held consistently since joining PSG. Instead, rather than leading the attack, he actively participated in the defense and played a role in maintaining balance. This is because PSG’s main offensive resource is Mbappe, who is placed on the left.

Lee Kang-in showed his presence in both offense and defense. In the first half, he showed off a sharp lateral pass and a 2-on-1 pass, and in the 31st minute, he delivered an attack with a long-distance through ball to Mbappe. After receiving Lee Kang-in’s pass, Mbappe attempted a cross to the center, which led to Carlos Soler’s goal. It was the moment when Lee Kang-in’s pass became the starting point of the score. He later played a key role in the team, taking indirect free kicks and attempting mid-range shots in set-piece situations.

Lee Kang-in also made sharp passes to Gonzalo Hamus and Mbappe in the second half, but it did not result in an effective shot. PSG then replaced Bradley Barcola and Hamus in the 22nd minute of the second half, and in the process, Ousmane Dembele stepped on the ground and Lee Kang-in’s position changed to the left. He was essentially taking on the same position he held last season at Mallorca (Spain).

Afterwards, Lee Kang-in focused on participating in defense. In the 35th minute of the second half, he stopped the opponent’s counterattack with a foul, and in the 40th minute, he blocked a one-on-one breakthrough. He was hit in the face during a foul, but also received a yellow card. It was just before the end of the game that Lee Kang-in took the decisive attack opportunity. In a counterattack situation, the ball was passed through Lee Kang-in and Ousmane Dembele to Mbappe. However, Mbappe’s pass was inaccurate and did not reach Lee Kang-in. After that, the game ended with Paris winning 3-0.

After the game, soccer statistics media Potmob and SofaScore gave Lee Kang-in ratings of 7.1 and 6.9, respectively. It was the lowest rating among PSG starting players. According to the two media, Lee Kang-in recorded a pass success rate of 91% (48/53), 1 shot, 1 interception, 2 tackles, and 7 recoveries on this day. He was placed on the left and right flanks and took on the role of coordinator with a wide range of activities.

French media Le Parisien also gave Lee Kang-in a low rating of 4.5. However, fans who heard the news expressed doubts on social media, such as ‘The rating standard is poor’ and ‘They should give it at least a 6’.

Despite the harsh criticism from the media, expectations are high for Lee Kang-in. In particular, Coach Enrique, the head coach, said at a press conference held ahead of the game, “Lee Kang-in has already shown his abilities both with the national team and PSG,” and added, “He is an all-weather midfielder, but he can also play as a winger, false striker (false nine), or shadow striker. there is. He is good at finishing and making final passes. “He is a promising player,” he said.

On the same day, a video of Lee Kang-in’s return interview was posted on the PSG club website and YouTube. In an interview with the club, Lee Kang-in said, “PSG allowed me the opportunity to play for Hangzhou AG. He said his goal was gold, and he is very happy to have achieved it and come back. “Now he wants to show a better performance at PSG.” At the same time, “I want to run quickly. I transferred in the summer and came to a big club. “I have a strong desire to compete and show a good performance,” he said, showing his determination to participate.

He also acknowledged that he is still going through an adjustment period. Lee Kang-in said, “The league, teammates, and manager have all changed from last year. This is a period of adaptation. “I want to adapt quickly and help the team,” he repeatedly emphasized.

Finally, regarding the fans’ interest in him, he said with a smile, “When I went to Korea to play in the A match this time, I was able to see a lot of PSG uniforms,” ​​and then added, “I am so grateful, and I want to make fans by performing better in the future.”

Lee Kang-in’s next stage, after completing his return to the league after two months, is a match against AC Milan (Italy) in the 2023-24 season UEFA Champions League (UCL Group F 3rd match). PSG won 1 of the first 2 games. They recorded 1 loss and are in 2nd place with 3 points. Lee Kang-in was substituted in the first leg of the UCL against Dortmund held last month and played for about 10 minutes before leaving for Hangzhou immediately. PSG and Milan will clash at Parc des Princes on the 26th.