When Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) midfielder Lee Kang-in was active in the Korean national team, Spanish media also stepped up to highlight his performance. Manager Luis Enrique of PSG and his team also predicted that Lee Kang-in’s performance would be welcome.
Spanish media As reported Lee Kang-in’s performance against Tunisia on the 14th (Korea Standard Time), saying, “Lee Kang-in is a cannon.” 스포츠토토
Lee Kang-in started the first game of the October A match between Korea and Tunisia on the 13th and led the team to a 4-0 victory. Lee Kang-in played a key role in the attack on behalf of Son Heung-min, who was excluded from the match. Lee Kang-in released South Korea’s attack with a quick conversion pass along with long-term de-pressurization on the right side, and scored multiple goals with his first A match score in the second half.
In particular, Lee Kang-in has not consistently missed the starting position in the team since Klinsmann took office, but he was aggressive in the game and proved his eligibility again. He showed a more advanced performance by overcoming the defensive pressure and determining the score inside the penalty box with a sharp free-kick score.
“Lee Kang-in is still in top form,” As said. After winning a gold medal at the Asian Games a few days ago and receiving military service benefits, he has now proved himself by showing his magic wand. Lee Kang-in led the team to a great victory against Tunisia, and Tunisia is currently the third-best team in Africa after Morocco and Senegal, according to the FIFA rankings,” he said, admitting that Lee Kang-in was the first contributor to beating the African powerhouse Tunisia.
“It is good news for coach Luis Enrique that Lee Kang-in has recovered from the Korean national team after the Asian Games and remains in the best condition,” he said, adding that Lee Kang-in’s performance after the A match could be of great help to Paris Saint-Germain.
These evaluations and recent performances can also be a great boon for Lee Kang-in, who returns to his team about a month after the A match. When Lee Kang-in was initially confirmed to leave PSG to join the Asian Games, there were many concerns about leaving the team.
French media ‘Foot Sur 7’ said, “Lee Kang-in will be absent from PSG for a while due to the Asian Games. It is not clear whether such a start will help him, he reported, adding, “Lee Kang-in has taken a big risk at PSG. Lee Kang-in has yet to prove his skills at PSG, and he is still a little far from showing his strengths. “I imagine competing for his place in coach Luis Enrique’s group, but I’m preparing to miss several more games by participating in the Asian Games with the Korean national team,” he said, expressing doubts about Lee Kang-in’s starting position after his absence.
“For Lee Kang-in, the upcoming problem is the integration of PSG Best 11. Surely he has less time than others to convince Enrique to be confident in him. It is a big risk to leave the team for even two weeks amid fierce competition, he said, adding that the Asian Games’ transfer could have a negative impact on the main competition.
However, since he won the gold medal by managing his condition at the Asian Games and even scoring multiple goals in the first A match in October, he is more likely to receive a chance to compete for the starting line based on his performance in the national team.
In fact, PSG was sluggish with one win, one draw and one loss in three games just before the A match in October. It drew with relegation team Clermont, especially against Newcastle in the second leg of the UEFA Champions League group stage. Coach Enrique is also expected to actively consider hiring Lee Kang-in because midfield resources such as Vitinha and Weren Zeire-Emeri were sluggish in the process.
Coach Enrique started Lee Kang-in in both the first and second rounds of the league before he was injured against Toulouse in the second round of the league. After returning from injury, he immediately played as a substitute in the first round of the Champions League group stage against Dortmund, immediately checking Lee Kang-in’s physical condition. If Enrique’s belief in Lee Kang-in continues, he will be able to get a chance immediately after the A match in October.
