"Lee Kang-in vs Bellingham" La Liga also sets the stage for 'Madrid Ace Derby'... Lee Kang-in, radiating 'MOM energy,' zeroes in on Real's heart

*This content was translated by AI.

In this season's first 'Madrid Derby,' Lee Kang-in (25) and Jude Bellingham (23) will face off in an 'ace showdown.'

Atlético Madrid will host Real Madrid at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano Stadium in Madrid, Spain, at 11:15 p.m. Korean time on the 20th for the seventh round of the '2026–2027 Spanish Primera Liga.'

Currently, Atlético sits fourth with 13 points (4 wins, 1 draw, 1 loss), while Real is second with 15 points (5 wins, 1 loss). If Atlético wins this derby, they could overtake Real and flip the standings.

Lee Kang-in is expected to start. In the previous match against Osasuna, he received a pass from Jonathan David, scored his second league goal of the season, and contributed to a 4-0 victory. He played a full match for the first time since joining the club and was named Man of the Match (MOM), confirming manager Diego Simeone's strong trust in him. This season, he has recorded 2 goals and 1 assist in 6 matches.

According to local media, Lee Kang-in is expected to play on the right side of a three-man forward line or as a right-sided midfielder, linking up with Ademola Lookman, Alex Baena, and others.

The La Liga office also focused intensely on the showdown between the two teams' aces. Ahead of the derby, on the 19th, La Liga's EA Sports official social media (SNS) highlighted both Lee Kang-in and Bellingham together, posting the phrase "Lee Kang-in or Bellingham?" along with the hashtag '#ELDERBIDEMADRID,' which means 'Madrid Derby.'

Under manager José Mourinho's system, Bellingham has been given an attacking free role and is performing brilliantly with 3 goals and 2 assists in 6 matches (447 minutes played). Additionally, his reunion as a rival with Kylian Mbappé, who recorded his first assist last season while playing for Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) alongside Bellingham, has drawn attention. Mbappé has 7 goals and 2 assists in the league this season.

In head-to-head records across all Madrid Derby matches (243 official games), Real leads with 119 wins, 63 draws, and 61 losses. However, Atlético once exploded for five goals at home last season—their first such feat in 75 years—securing a 5-2 victory.

Lee Kang-in, who recorded 1 goal and 1 assist against Real Madrid during his time at Mallorca, vowed, "I am well aware this is an important match, and I will prepare thoroughly to ensure we win."

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*This content was translated by AI.