'First time since transfer' Lee Kang-in did not play even one minute, absent in Champions League match against Stuttgart

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Lee Kang-in (25) sat on the bench without playing a single minute for the first time since his transfer to Atletico (AT) Madrid.

Lee Kang-in was absent in the away match against Stuttgart (Germany) in the third round of the 2026-2027 UEFA Champions League (UCL) league phase, held at MHPArena in Stuttgart, Germany on the 21st (Korean time).

This is the first time since Lee Kang-in's transfer to AT Madrid that he has been absent without playing even one minute, marking his 12th match with the club.

Manager Diego Simeone kept Lee Kang-in on the bench that day, deploying Julian Alvarez and Jonathan David as a two-man strike force, while placing Alex Baena and Giuliano Simeone on the flanks.

Subsequently, he utilized five substitution cards in the second half, including Ademola Lookman, Jonny Cardoso, and Alexander Sorloth. On the other hand, Lee Kang-in, along with Arnau Ortiz and others, ultimately did not enter the game as a substitute.

Despite Lee Kang-in's absence, AT Madrid secured a draw in their away match against Stuttgart despite the variable of a red card.

AT Madrid, which conceded the first goal in the 36th minute of the first half, restored balance with Alvarez's equalizer in the second minute of the second half, and Morten Hjulmand was sent off in the 19th minute of the second half.

However, AT Madrid managed to secure one point on the road without conceding any further goals, despite playing for over 30 minutes with a numerical disadvantage.

AT Madrid recorded four points (one win, one draw, one loss) and ranked 15th in the league phase. In the UCL league phase, teams ranked 1st to 8th advance directly to the Round of 16, while those ranked 9th to 24th compete in the Round of 16 playoffs. Teams ranked 25th to 36th are eliminated.

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original