“A dramatic late winner came after Lee Kang-in was subbed off”... Spanish media make a fuss over “Baena is the next Griezmann” as competition for a starting spot at Atlético Madrid heats up

[Financial News] Just after Lee Kang-in (25, Atlético Madrid) left the field, a positional rival brought on as a substitute scored a dramatic goal to decide the match. With even the fervent praise of the Spanish media directed at his rival, competition for a starting spot in Atlético Madrid’s (hereafter, Atlético) attack is heating up.
Atlético edged Espanyol 1-0 in an away match in the ninth round of the 2026–27 Spanish La Liga season at RCDE Stadium in Barcelona on the 17th (local time). The win extended the team’s run to six straight victories in all competitions and five consecutive league wins, keeping it in the fierce race near the top of the table.
Lee, who started, covered the pitch for 62 minutes before being substituted in the 17th minute of the second half. He fired a dangerous shot just 80 seconds into the match and remained active throughout, including with a deft pass in the 16th minute of the second half that set up Marcos Llorente’s shot off the crossbar. According to football statistics outlet FotMob, Lee completed 41 of 44 passes for a 93% completion rate and created three chances, performing steadily as a link in the attack.
But fortune smiled on Alex Baena, who came on for Lee. With the score stuck at 0-0 in a frustrating match, manager Diego Simeone made a decisive move in the 17th minute of the second half, bringing Lee off and sending Baena on.
The move paid off perfectly. In the 44th minute of the second half, just before the final whistle, Baena received a pass from Julián Álvarez and beat Espanyol’s goalkeeper with a sharp right-footed shot from in front of the penalty area. It was a decisive strike that earned the team three precious points just 27 minutes after Baena came on.

After the match, the spotlight naturally fell on Baena, scorer of the winning goal. Spanish sports daily AS ran an article with the provocative headline “Baena now does Griezmann’s job (Baena ya hace de Griezmann).” Lee inherited the club legend Antoine Griezmann’s iconic number 7 shirt this summer, but the paper praised Baena, who decided the match at a crucial moment, for showing a touch of Griezmann.
Ratings from different outlets also varied sharply. El Desmarque gave Lee a respectable 6, while awarding Baena a 9 and praising him for “adding energy to the attack and proving his worth with a fantastic goal.” Simeone also gave Baena a thumbs-up, saying, “He is a player who can instantly disrupt the balance of a match.”
Of course, it is difficult to interpret the substitution as punishment for Lee’s poor form. Simeone stressed that it was “to manage his playing time and physical load.” In fact, Lee has been a regular starter recently and continues to enjoy the manager’s strong trust.
Atlético, however, is a world-class club whose bench players can turn a match around at any moment. Lee showed composure over 62 minutes with a 93% pass-completion rate, while Baena secured the win with a single shot in 28 minutes. The two players’ contrasting fortunes pose another challenge for Lee. The real fight for survival has begun: beyond steady playmaking, he must prove that he can deliver the decisive punch in an instant.
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