Lee Kang-in, 'Early Substitution Out' at 35th Minute of First Half... Praised for 'Phantom Key Pass' That Broke Marseille's Defense

*This content was translated by AI.

Lee Kang-in (25) played his second pre-season match after joining Atletico (AT) Madrid. The time allotted to him that day was only 35 minutes. Even within that short span, Lee Kang-in made an impressive impression, further raising expectations for the new season.

On the 15th at 0:30 a.m. (Korea time), Lee Kang-in started in a pre-season friendly match against Marseille (France) held at Orange Velodrome in Marseille, France. This was his second match since joining AT Madrid and his first start.

Lee Kang-in lined up at the very front in a 5-3-2 formation that day, forming a striking duo with Ademola Lookman. He not only played at the front but also moved between midfield and the wings, standing at the center of the attack.

A fantastic pass shone just eight minutes into the first half. Receiving the ball near the halfway line, he delivered an incisive through pass to Lookman, who was penetrating behind the defense. Lee Kang-in's pass, which completely broke down the defense, led to a one-on-one opportunity between Lookman and the goalkeeper. However, Lookman's shot struck the goalpost. An offside call was subsequently issued. Spanish media As praised Lee Kang-in, stating, "Lee Kang-in threaded in a phantom through pass."

It was not just that. While directing the attack from deep within the three lines, he created an opportunity similar to the earlier scene at the 33rd minute of the first half. Lee Kang-in's sharp pass that had opened up space behind the defense, however, did not lead to a decisive chance because Lookman's trapping was slightly too long.

Lee Kang-in was substituted in the 35th minute of the first half and finished his match. Along with Lee Kang-in, Giuliano Simeone and Alejandro Grimaldo were also substituted off simultaneously. This was not an injury-related substitution but rather a planned exit after fulfilling his pre-set playing time before the match. The player who replaced Lee Kang-in was forward Carlos Martin.

During his 35 minutes on the field, Lee Kang-in completed all six passes accurately, recording a 100% pass success rate. He touched the ball nine times. Given his limited playing time and the fact that his decisive pass was nullified by an offside call, he did not leave behind other impressive statistics.

With today's match concluding his pre-season schedule, Lee Kang-in will make his "official debut" for AT Madrid in the opening match of the 2026-2027 Spanish La Liga first round against Malaga at Metropolitano Stadium in Madrid, Spain, on the 20th at 4 a.m. This also marks his return to the Spanish stage since his time at Mallorca.

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*This content was translated by AI.