"Lee Kang-in's passes should be framed and kept" — praised by Spanish media after just 35 minutes on the pitch... A stunning moment creating a one-on-one with the goalkeeper

*This content was translated by AI.

Korean national team ace Lee Kang-in (Atletico Madrid) left a strong impression after playing only 35 minutes.

On the morning of the 15th (Korean time), Atletico secured a 2-1 victory over Marseille (France) in a pre-season friendly match held at Orange Velodrome in Marseille, France.

Lee Kang-in made his debut for Atletico in a match against Manchester City (England) held in Seoul on the 9th and started this game for the first time. Deployed as an attacker in a 5-3-2 formation, he coordinated with Ademola Lookman.

His playing time was not long. Lee Kang-in was substituted off after just 35 minutes of the first half and headed to the bench. However, even in this short period, he clearly demonstrated his greatest strength: sharp passing ability.

The most impressive moment came in the 8th minute of the first half. Receiving the ball near the halfway line, Lee Kang-in calmly turned his body while facing pressure from opponents. Immediately spotting Lookman penetrating into the space behind Marseille's defense, he delivered a precise through pass without hesitation.

A single pass brought down the entire defensive line. Lookman, receiving Lee Kang-in's pass, found himself in a one-on-one situation with the goalkeeper.

Unfortunately, it did not lead to a goal. Lookman's shot struck the post, and the scene was narrowly ruled offside.

However, Spanish media focused more on the pass itself created by Lee Kang-in than the result.

Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo stated, "There were three special 'first experiences' in Atletico's starting lineup." It added, "The most notable was Alejandro Grimaldo. He started his first match wearing an Atletico jersey. Lee Kang-in made his first start, and Julian Simeone also started for the first time in this pre-season."

It further noted, "All three players were substituted after just 35 minutes of the match. It was a scene that surprised everyone."

The outlet also provided individual player evaluations. Regarding Grimaldo, Mundo Deportivo said, "Although he played as a full-back, he did not fully showcase his attacking strengths in this match. With Marseille maintaining significant possession, he had to focus more on defensive duties."

Regarding Simeone, it stated, "He once again demonstrated his characteristic high work rate and aggressiveness, though perhaps too much in the early stages of the game. He showed good form defensively but did not contribute much offensively."

The evaluation for Lee Kang-in was different. Mundo Deportivo remarked, "Lee Kang-in made two excellent passes between defensive lines," adding, "Especially the pass connecting to Lookman was impressive. Lookman, receiving Lee Kang-in's pass, found himself in a one-on-one situation with the goalkeeper, but his shot hit the post."

It continued, "It was unfortunate that offside was called by just a few centimeters," and praised, "Lee Kang-in's passes were worthy of being framed."

On this day, Lee Kang-in completed all six of his passes to teammates, recording a 100% pass success rate.

He also created a dazzling moment in the 32nd minute of the first half. Lee Kang-in dribbled to draw an opposing defender toward him before passing to Lookman positioned on the right. However, Lookman's touch was not smooth, and the ball drifted slightly backward, failing to lead to a decisive shooting opportunity.

Lee Kang-in was substituted after completing 35 minutes of play in the first half. Atletico manager Diego Simeone brought Lee Kang-in, Grimaldo, and Julian off the field simultaneously. This appears to be an adjustment of players' fitness levels and playing time ahead of the La Liga Round 1 match against Malaga on the 20th for the 2026-2027 season.

Another Spanish outlet, AS, also highly praised Lee Kang-in's passing ability. AS commended, "Two of Lee Kang-in's passes could have led to goals."

It even elevated Lee Kang-in by comparing him with another new signing for Atletico, Grimaldo. The outlet stated, "Korean Lee Kang-in started the match and played 35 minutes, just like Grimaldo. It was natural that Grimaldo, who had just joined the team, remained somewhat quiet," while emphasizing, "In contrast, Lee Kang-in showed that something happens whenever he gets the ball."

It further added, "He demonstrated vision and intention in his play during the match. An excellent signing."

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*This content was translated by AI.