[Official] Lee Kang-in has no 'absurd absence' from the opener! Registration as Atletico's No. 7 completed

*This content was translated by AI.

Lee Kang-in (25) has passed the 'final hurdle' to officially debut for Atletico (AT) Madrid in competitive matches. He is now formally registered as an AT Madrid player in Spain's La Liga. Although concerns had been raised about his absence from the season opener due to delays in registration, those worries have been dispelled following his official registration with the No. 7 jersey and full player status.

According to the official website of Spain's La Liga on the 19th (Korean time), Lee Kang-in's name appears on AT Madrid's 2026–2027 season squad list. Just the morning before, his name was absent from the AT Madrid roster, but it was updated in between. While his photo has not yet been uploaded, his basic information—including No. 7 jersey, the name "KANG IN" marked on the uniform, height (173 cm), weight (66 kg), and birthplace (Incheon)—has been included.

Lee Kang-in's name also appears on AT Madrid's recent list of newly acquired (registered) players as of the 18th in local time. Alongside Lee Kang-in, registration procedures were also finalized for Arnau Ortiz, who was promoted from Atletico Madrileño (the B team) on the same day, and Cristian Romero, Son Heung-min's former Tottenham teammate whose move to AT Madrid has been confirmed. Romero's jersey number has not yet been disclosed.

With the registration process now complete, all obstacles preventing Lee Kang-in from participating in the 2026–2027 La Liga season opener have been fully removed. Lee Kang-in is scheduled to make his official debut for AT Madrid—and his home debut—on the morning of the 20th at 4 a.m., when Atletico Madrid faces Malaga at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano in Madrid, Spain.

As the first match approaches, concerns were initially raised not only domestically but also locally in Spain due to delays in Lee Kang-in's La Liga registration. Earlier, Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo reported on the 16th: "AT Madrid's opener is shrouded in uncertainty. Only two of the four newly signed players (including Lee Kang-in) have completed their registration procedures." The report added that "(unregistered) Lee Kang-in was delayed in joining the team due to exit permit issues, leaving limited time to train with his teammates." This raised the possibility of him missing the opener for what seemed like an 'absurd reason'—a delay in registration following his transfer to AT Madrid.

However, fortunately, with the registration process now complete, Lee Kang-in's participation in the new season's opener has become highly likely. In fact, several media outlets are already predicting that he could start in the La Liga opener. Despite playing only two pre-season friendly matches since confirming his move to AT Madrid, he is already drawing attention as a potential first-team regular.

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*This content was translated by AI.