Lee Kang-in made a stunning debut for Atletico Madrid in La Liga, scoring the winning goal in his first official match.
On August 20, in a home match against Malaga at the Estadio Metropolitano in Madrid, Lee came on as a substitute in the second half and netted the decisive goal, leading Atletico to a 2-0 victory to kick off the 2026-2027 season.
Having transferred from Paris Saint-Germain this summer, Lee returned to the Spanish league after three years. He started the match on the bench due to administrative issues related to military service that delayed his preseason training.
Atletico manager Diego Simeone excluded Lee and other key players, including Alex Baena, Marcos Llorente, and Julian Alvarez, who participated in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, from the starting lineup.
After a scoreless first half, Atletico brought on Llorente at the start of the second half and introduced Lee and Baena in the 57th minute to boost their attack.
Wearing the number 7 jersey, Lee quickly made an impact, attempting sharp shots in the 59th and 65th minutes to find his rhythm.
The long-awaited goal came in the 70th minute. After receiving a long pass from David Hancko on the right flank, Lee dribbled past three defenders and scored with a precise left-footed shot from the right side of the penalty area, shaking the net for Malaga.
Lee scored just 13 minutes after entering the match, marking his first goal for Atletico Madrid. This also ended a goal drought in La Liga since May 2023, when he scored for Mallorca against Athletic Bilbao.
Following Lee's goal, Atletico gained momentum, and Baena added a second goal with a brilliant right-footed free kick in the 85th minute, sealing the victory.
Lee played approximately 33 minutes and excelled on both ends of the field. According to soccer statistics site FotMob, he recorded a passing accuracy of 93% (13 successful passes out of 14 attempts) and won 100% of his ground duels (4 out of 4). FotMob rated him 7.9.
After a strong debut, Lee was named the match's Most Valuable Player (MVP).
In a post-match interview, Lee stated, "I believe the entire team played excellently. I will continue to train hard to improve my game sense and rhythm. I aim to earn as many points as possible for the team's championship. I will prepare for every match in top condition and do my best to win every game."
With this opening victory, Atletico Madrid looks forward to their next match against Villarreal at home on August 24.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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