'Lee Kang-in, what now?' World Cup preparations also derailed, complete exclusion from Champions League → Hong Myung-bo's team 'late arrival'

*This content was translated by AI.

Paris Saint-Germain (PSG·France) Lee Kang-in (24) finds himself in a situation where he can neither smile nor cry. Although his club team's advancement to the UEFA Champions League (UCL) final offers him a chance to add another title to his career, Lee Kang-in has been completely excluded from the UCL. As a result, preparations for the 2026 FIFA North American World Cup have inevitably been disrupted.

PSG drew 1-1 with Bayern Munich in the second leg of the 2025-2026 UCL semi-finals held at Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany, on the 7th (Korean time). Having won the first leg 5-4, PSG secured a 1-1 aggregate result and advanced to the final for the second consecutive season, following last year's campaign. The highly anticipated final will be played against Arsenal (England) at Puskás Arena in Budapest, Hungary, at 1 a.m. on the 31st.

However, Lee Kang-in did not play again in this UCL semi-final second leg. Although his name appeared on the substitute bench, he was not given a single minute of playing time. Consequently, Lee Kang-in has been absent from the last three consecutive UCL matches, starting from the second leg of the Round of 16 against Liverpool (England) through the first and second legs of the semi-finals against Bayern Munich. While the club's advancement to the final is significant, this is the reason Lee Kang-in cannot simply smile.

Recent playing records show he is being utilized through strict rotation. In fact, after playing the full 90 minutes against Angers in Ligue 1 on the 26th, Lee Kang-in sat out the first leg of the UCL semi-finals against Bayern Munich. He then started and played the full match against Lorient in Ligue 1, but was again denied playing time in the match against Bayern Munich on the 7th. With the club's focus heavily on the UCL, he is effectively receiving opportunities only in the less critical league matches.

Of course, the UCL final will be played after all Ligue 1 matches are concluded, and there is a gap of about two weeks following the final league match, allowing for a full-scale effort. However, considering manager Luis Enrique's recent usage of Lee Kang-in, it is unlikely that Lee Kang-in, who has been absent for three consecutive matches, will suddenly receive significant playing time in the UCL final. He may end up watching the match from the bench once again.

The problem is that the World Cup preparations are also delayed due to the UCL final aftermath. Coach Hong Myung-bo will announce the final World Cup roster on the 16th, after which the main squad will depart for the U.S., the pre-camp location, on the 18th. The Hong Myung-bo team is scheduled to play two friendly matches in the U.S. before heading to the 'decisive ground' in Mexico. The match against El Salvador on June 3 (local time) is likely to be the last friendly before the World Cup. Even if Lee Kang-in joins the team immediately after the UCL final, it will be difficult for him to play. Essentially, he will have to join the Chae (CEO) team right after finishing the season schedule without proper rest and immediately switch to World Cup mode.

Other overseas-based players are also scheduled to join the national team at the U.S. location shortly after completing their club schedules, and Lee Kang-in is likely to be the final piece of the Hong Myung-bo team's full assembly. It is somewhat fortunate that Lee Kang-in has long served as a core member of the Hong Myung-bo team and has built chemistry with them. However, with the slim possibility of participating in the UCL final, the lack of time to participate in the final World Cup preparation process is bound to be a regret for both the Hong Myung-bo team and Lee Kang-in. If the UCL title is also lost, it could become the worst-case scenario for Lee Kang-in.

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*This content was translated by AI.