“Nowhere to be seen for 35 minutes, then turned the assessment around in just one minute” ... Spanish media marvel at Lee Kang-in: “A really good player”

[Financial News] The unfavorable assessments that poured in during the first 35 minutes of the match turned into unqualified praise in just one minute. South Korean national team midfielder Lee Kang-in (25, Atlético Madrid) instantly captured the attention of the Spanish media with his trademark explosive individual skill.
Atlético Madrid extended its winning streak to six consecutive league matches with a 1-0 victory over Deportivo La Coruña in a home game in the 2026–27 Spanish Primera División season, held on the 25th (Korea time) at Riyadh Air Metropolitano in Madrid, Spain.
Lee Kang-in, who started and played 67 minutes, coming off in the 22nd minute of the second half, seemed somewhat out of sync amid his team's sluggish attack early on. Isaac Suárez, a reporter for the prominent Spanish sports newspaper Marca, also criticized Lee's lack of presence early in the match, saying, “Lee Kang-in is hardly getting involved in the game.”
But the situation changed completely in the 36th minute of the first half. Receiving the ball on the right flank, Lee Kang-in drove into the penalty area with a daring run, beating opposing defenders one after another before unleashing a sharp shot. Just a minute later, in the 37th minute, he again threatened the opposition goal with a crisp left-footed shot.


Local media immediately changed their assessment after this sequence of plays, in which Lee broke open a sluggish game with individual skill. Reporter Suárez, who had criticized him, promptly revised his assessment after Lee Kang-in's performance, saying, “Lee Kang-in is a really good player.” Another prominent newspaper, AS, also praised Lee's performance, saying, “The team's attack was generally ineffective in the first half, but Lee Kang-in and goalkeeper Jan Oblak were exceptions,” and noting that Lee alone had found a way through the tightly stifled play.
The detailed statistics were also impressive. According to football statistics website FotMob, Lee Kang-in attempted four dribbles that day and completed all of them, recording a 100% success rate. He also had three shots and earned a rating of 7.2, doing his part.
His return to the starting lineup carries considerable significance. After missing the Champions League away match against Stuttgart on the 21st due to thigh muscle overload, Lee Kang-in returned straight to the starting lineup just four days later. It was a further sign of the firm trust Diego Simeone has in him.
Although he did not record a goal contribution, Lee Kang-in's unmistakable game-changing instinct—the “crack” quality of a player who can turn the course of a match—was enough to prove why he is a key asset for Madrid.


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