Lee Kang-in (24, Paris Saint-Germain) again raised the championship trophy awkwardly after playing zero minutes in the final.

Paris Saint-Germain defeated Reims 3-0 to claim the championship trophy in the 2024-25 Coupe de France final held at 4 a.m. (Korea time) on the 25th at their home stadium, Stade de France, in Paris, France.

Paris Saint-Germain achieved back-to-back titles and secured their 16th overall victory in the tournament. After winning Ligue 1, Paris Saint-Germain completed the double with the cup tournament.

Lee Kang-in was excluded from the starting lineup in this important game where the championship was at stake. Lee Kang-in waited on the substitute bench but did not play even a second. Despite the fact that Paris Saint-Germain was leading 3-0 with three goals scored in the first half, head coach Luis Enrique brought in Hernandez, Berchiche, Gonçalo Ramos, Mayulu, and Zaire Emery in the second half without considering Lee Kang-in.

After the victory, Lee Kang-in draped himself in a Korean flag and celebrated. However, being excluded from the game due to not being in the squad left him feeling that the championship trophy won by his teammates could not be 100% joyful. Lee Kang-in could only offer a bitter smile.

This is not the first time Lee Kang-in has been excluded from a crucial match with championship implications. Lee Kang-in did not get a chance to play in the final match of Ligue 1 for Paris Saint-Germain either. Although Lee Kang-in contributed with 6 goals and 5 assists this season for Paris Saint-Germain, he could not smile.

On the 18th, Paris Saint-Germain achieved a dominant 3-1 victory over Auxerre in the final match of the 2024-2025 season Ligue 1 held at Parc des Princes in Paris, France. Paris Saint-Germain, having already secured early victory, had an overwhelming season with 26 wins, 6 draws, and 2 losses.

After the final match, Paris Saint-Germain players celebrated together. Lee Kang-in also took turns lifting the championship trophy with his teammates, enjoying the moment. However, Lee Kang-in did not play even a minute in the final match. He waited on the bench but was not called upon by coach Luis Enrique. Even though Paris Saint-Germain had already secured the championship, Lee Kang-in did not get his chance.

The tactics pursued by coach Enrique do not suit Lee Kang-in well. Excluding Lee Kang-in from the final match essentially sent the message that he was not in the squad.

Clubs from other leagues, including the Premier League, are actively seeking Lee Kang-in. Premier League teams are racing to secure Lee Kang-in's transfer. The most proactive team among them is Crystal Palace, the FA Cup winners. Head coach Oliver Glasner has personally initiated efforts to sign Lee Kang-in.

"London World" reported on the 24th that "Crystal Palace has begun to speed up its consolidation of PSG midfielder Lee Kang-in. Having won the FA Cup, Palace plans to strengthen its squad by signing Lee Kang-in this summer. The fact that Palace secured a spot in next season's Europa League through their FA Cup victory is expected to work in their favor."

ESPN reported that "Paris Saint-Germain forward Lee Kang-in is being connected with Arsenal. The 24-year-old Lee Kang-in reached the Champions League final. His market value is 20 million euros (approximately 31.7 billion won)."

Tottenham's rival team Arsenal is also targeting Lee Kang-in. Since the middle of the season, Lee Kang-in's move to Arsenal has been gaining momentum. If Lee Kang-in joins Arsenal, he will become the second Korean player after Park Ju-young.

[OSEN]