Lee Kang-in (23, PSG) is facing a day of destiny. Lee has been included in the lineup for the UEFA Champions League final and stands once again at the center of the European stage.
PSG will face Inter Milan in a fateful match on June 1 (Korean time) at the Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany.
Ahead of the final, PSG announced a 22-player squad for the away match, and Lee's name has attracted the attention of domestic fans.
On the 30th, PSG publicly shared a video of the team boarding a flight to Munich, and the local atmosphere was already like a festival. Fans wearing PSG uniforms gathered on the streets, expressing excitement for the club’s first "big ear".
Entering the second season under manager Luis Enrique, PSG secured the French Ligue 1 championship for two consecutive years, along with the Trophée des Champions and the Coupe de France, confirming their status as treble winners. On the European stage, they have set the stage to challenge for the club's first UEFA Champions League title by defeating Arsenal, Liverpool, and Aston Villa in succession.
However, Lee's chances of actual participation are considered low. He was given opportunities in various positions early in the season and was utilized as a key player, but as the season progressed, he drifted further away from manager Enrique's plans. Since the injury he sustained during the national team call-up in March, he has been sidelined as a rotation player and has missed both of the recent matches.
The atmosphere suggests that Lee's time at PSG is effectively coming to an end. Multiple local media outlets in France reported that the club has placed Lee on the list of players available for transfer. Lee has also deleted references to PSG from his social media account, and a recent meeting photo involving his agent, Javier Garido, and transfer market experts Fabrizio Romano and Matteo Moretto further intensified transfer rumors. Currently, Napoli, Arsenal, and Villarreal are among the strong candidates for his next destination.
The likelihood of his participation is low. If PSG wins the final, Lee would become the second South Korean player to lift the Champions League trophy after Park Ji-sung in 17 years. Additionally, he could be recorded as the first South Korean player to simultaneously hold all three major titles: league, cup competitions, and UCL. This would mark a new milestone never seen in the history of domestic football.
Lee himself revealed his determination ahead of the final. In an interview with PSG's club channel, he said, "I feel proud of the performance we have shown this season. Now that we have reached the final, I am focusing on taking that last step," and emphasized, "The whole team has come together to reach this point, and if we tackle it with the same mindset until the end, we will surely achieve a good result."
He continued, "We have raised our teamwork by understanding and considering each other this season. I believe that is the key driving force behind PSG's arrival here today," and added, "The goals and mentality we share will be the factors that lead to victory in the final."
Regardless of whether he participates in the match, the fact that Lee's name is included in the final lineup carries great significance for South Korean football fans. Having the chance to reach for the trophy, he is prepared to partake in PSG's historic moment in any way, both on and off the pitch.
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