Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) player Lee Kang-in (24) expressed his determination ahead of a challenge for European supremacy.
PSG will face Inter Milan in the single-match final of the 2024-2025 UEFA Champions League (UCL) at the Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany, on the morning of the 1st at 4 a.m. (Korean time).
PSG has this season claimed the domestic treble by winning Ligue 1, the Trophée des Champions, and the Coupe de France. Now they are aiming for the pinnacle of Europe.
The road to the final has been tough. PSG defeated strong teams consecutively, overcoming Liverpool in the Round of 16, Aston Villa in the quarterfinals, and Arsenal in the semifinals.
Leading the PSG attack is Ousmane Dembélé. He scored 21 goals and provided six assists in 29 league matches. In 14 UCL matches, he contributed eight goals and four assists, playing a key role in the team's advancement to the final. He is also a strong candidate for the Ballon d'Or in 2025.
Lee Kang-in is the second Korean player to challenge for the UCL title, following Park Ji-sung. Park was a member of the winning team in the 2007-2008 season with Manchester United but did not play in the final. He reached the final match twice more (2008-2009, 2010-2011) but finished as a runner-up. Son Heung-min also made it to the final stage with Tottenham in the 2018-2019 season but has yet to win a trophy.
Lee Kang-in stated through the club's website, "We have performed well throughout this season. Just getting this far has great significance." He added, "I am very happy. We are preparing for the final with our best effort. I really want to win."
He also noted, "We have always helped each other even more desperately. We have put in great effort to become one team. Everyone moved toward the same goal, and that has led us to the final. We will continue to move forward together."
If Lee Kang-in competes in the final and wins the UCL, it will be the first instance for a Korean player.
However, Lee Kang-in's participation in the final is uncertain. He has seen his playing time decrease as he fell behind in the competition for a starting spot in the second half of the season.
This season, he has played in 30 league matches, recording six goals and six assists, but he did not score any attacking points in 11 UCL matches. His last full-time appearance was in the group stage match against Salzburg on Dec. 11 last year. He played only once in the tournament, coming on as a substitute in the 11th minute of extra time during the second leg of the Round of 16 against Liverpool and played for 19 minutes. He remained on the bench for all matches from the first leg of the quarterfinals to the second leg of the semifinals.
[Photo] Paris Saint-Germain website
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