‘Opening Match Starting Debut Cancelled’ Lee Kang-in to Sit on Bench… Atletico Reveals Lineup for Match Against Malaga | STARNEWS
*This content was translated by AI.
The opening match starting debut has been cancelled. Lee Kang-in (25), who made a surprise transfer to Atletico Madrid, will begin his first official match on the bench.
Lee Kang-in’s team, Atletico Madrid, will play the 2026~2027 Spanish La Liga Round 1 home opener against Malaga at 4 a.m. (Korean time) on the 20th at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano in Madrid, Spain.
Lee Kang-in was omitted from the starting lineup. Coach Diego Simeone deployed a 4-4-2 formation. Up front, Ademola Lookman and Arnau Ortiz will form the striking duo, while the midfield features Rodrigo Mendoza, Pablo Barrios, Koke, and Carlos Martin. The defensive line consists of Dani Martinez, David Hancko, Robin Le Normand, and Jorge Dominguez, with Jan Oblak guarding the goal.
Lee Kang-in, who had drawn high expectations, was named on the substitute bench to start the match from there. Alongside Lee Kang-in, several key players and new signings including Jose Gimenez, Marcos Llorente, Marc Pubill, Alex Grimaldo, and Morten Hjulmand will wait on the bench, aiming for a second-half appearance.
Earlier, according to Spanish media outlet ‘Mundo Deportivo’, Atletico President Enrique Cerezo expressed full confidence at the introduction ceremony, stating, “I am convinced that Lee Kang-in will become a key pillar of our team and will bring happiness to fans starting from the opening match against Malaga.” Since joining the team, Lee Kang-in has been preparing for the opener by conducting normal training sessions at the home stadium, Metropolitano.
Local media outlets including Spanish publication ‘AS’ have identified Lee Kang-in as a key second-line resource to support Julian Alvarez and as the player set to succeed Antoine Griezmann, who left the team. However, Coach Simeone opted for rotation in the first match, excluding some key players from the starting lineup.
Lee Kang-in aims to make his official debut for Atletico and return to the Spanish stage by coming on as a substitute at the Metropolitano, where over 60,000 home fans gathered.
After today’s match against Malaga, Atletico is scheduled to face Villarreal in the La Liga Round 2 match on the 24th.
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*This content was translated by AI.