Lee Kang-in is evolving into the maestro of Paris Saint-Germain (PSG).
Lee Kang-in was substituted at the beginning of the second half in the 2024-2025 French League 1 round match against Nice at the Allianz Riviera in Nice, France on the 7th (Korea Standard Time).
PSG had a difficult game. It allowed Ali Abdi to score the first goal in the 39th minute of the first half to fall behind 0-1. Randal Kolo Muani, the starting striker, did not display much presence.
In a frustrating situation, PSG coach Luis Enrique took out Lee Kang-in’s card. Lee Kang-in, who has recently performed best in the team, penetrated the path of attack after putting in the second half. After Lee Kang-in was put in, PSG’s attack was revitalized.
Lee Kang-in, who played the role of zero-top, created chances by freely moving left, right, back and forth. He played as a playmaker with two key passes and a 90.5 percent pass success rate. He saved the winger with creative and accurate space passes, and created chances to score with his sharp cross. In the end, PSG tied the game with Nunu Mendes’ score in the seventh minute of the second half. 스포츠토토
In the 33rd minute of the second half, when Fabian Lewis was out and Marco Asensio came in, Lee Kang-in moved to the left and led the attack.
Lee Kang-in has been reborn as PSG’s de facto ace this season. He was close to being a rotation player last season, but has recently become a starting player. He also started in the match against Arsenal in the UEFA Champions League in China. As Lee Kang-in’s performance is so good, Enrique is also maximizing his utilization.
Despite Lee Kang-in’s performance, PSG failed to turn the tables and ended the game with a 1-1 draw. In seven games, PSG has harvested 17 points with five wins and two draws, ranking second in the league. Leading AS Monaco leads PSG with six wins, one draw and 19 points. Although it is early in the season, it is a bad trend for PSG.
After finishing his league schedule with PSG, Lee will move to Amman, Jordan, to prepare for the third Asian qualifying match for the 2026 North-China World Cup. Team Korea will play its third match with Jordan on Saturday.
Lee Kang-in, the core of Hong Myung-bo’s power, needs to play. As captain Son Heung-min (Tottenham Hotspur) is out of the entry due to injury, Lee Kang-in should play the role of ace. It is a physically exhausting situation, but Lee Kang-in has to hold on to overcome Jordan, who is not easy.
