Lee Kang-in (24) of Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) has completed preparations to make a mark in Korean football history. Ahead of the UEFA Champions League final taking place on June 1 (Korean time), he emphasized the value of teamwork and expressed his determination to win.
PSG will face Inter Milan (Italy) in the UEFA Champions League final for the 2024-2025 season at 4 a.m. on June 1 at the Fußball Arena München in Munich, Germany.
Having achieved a domestic treble by winning Ligue 1, the Super Cup, and the French Cup, PSG aims for their first Champions League title in this final.
In an interview with the club's official channel on the 29th, Lee Kang-in said, "The journey to the final itself has great significance. I am very happy and want to finish the season with a victory."
He emphasized, "The result today was created because the players came together as one and ran toward the same goal. We can achieve the best results with this unity."
PSG reached the final by defeating Brest, Liverpool (Round of 16), Aston Villa (Quarter-finals), and Arsenal (Semi-finals) in this season's European competition. The opposing bracket's Inter Milan defeated Feyenoord Rotterdam, Bayern Munich, and FC Barcelona.
Winning the Champions League has been PSG's longstanding ambition, as they have left no significant mark in UEFA-organized competitions other than winning the Cup Winners' Cup in the 1995-1996 season. This final represents a turning point for PSG to become a true 'European powerhouse' beyond being the 'best in the league.'
The final holds personal significance for Lee Kang-in as well. If PSG wins and he participates in the final, he will become the second Korean to win the Champions League after Park Ji-sung. Notably, Park Ji-sung was not on the roster for the final in the 2007-2008 season, so if Lee Kang-in steps onto the final stage and wins, it would be an unprecedented record in Korean football history.
Currently, Lee Kang-in's participation in the final is uncertain. He has remained on the bench since the second leg of the Round of 16 in this Champions League tournament. In the first half of the season, he featured in every match alongside Bradley Barcola, but his playing time has decreased after the acquisition of Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, as he has been edged out in competition. In the attack, the priority has shifted to Khvicha, Ousmane Dembélé, Désiré Doué, and Barcola, while in midfield, it has gone to Fabian Ruiz, Zaire-Emery, Neves, and Vitinha.
Despite this, Lee Kang-in does not hide his desire for victory. He said, "We have done very well, and we deserve to be here. I want to bring the best results for the fans."
With Son Heung-min winning the Europa League this season, if Lee Kang-in also reaches the top of the Champions League, it would achieve the remarkable feat of a single season UCL-UEL championship by Korean players, following Park Ji-sung (UCL), Kim Dong-jin, and Lee Ho (UEL) in the 2007-2008 season.
Fans are now focused on whether Lee Kang-in will appear on the final ground and whether PSG can lift the historic big ears.
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