Despite the sudden controversy, Lee Kang-in quietly played his role.
PSG advanced to the round of 32 at 5 p.m. on the 23rd (Korea time) by winning 4-3 in a shootout without overtime after drawing 1-1 with Lance in the round of 64 of the Coupe de France in the 2024-2025 season at Stade Bollard-Dleis in Langs, France.
Ahead of this game, French media suddenly criticized Lee Kang-in. At the end of 2024, French media are driving Lee Kang-in like the culprit of PSG, which has recently been sluggish.
France's Foot 01 said on the 22nd that `Lee Kang-in, who Enrique highly praised for a year and a half at PSG, is not unanimously liked among club employees. So are the experts who criticize him. Lee Kang-in has six goals and two assists, which is not highly appreciated within PSG."
It was an unfounded criticism. This season, Lee Kang-in belongs to PSG with many offensive points. Lee Kang-in is not even a professional offensive resource, but he has already surpassed the offensive points he accumulated in the league last season. It is not an appropriate criticism to criticize Lee Kang-in with an attack point.
The above media shed light on the remarks of Pierre Menes, a former journalist. Menes says on his personal channel, "It's annoying to see Lee Kang-in come out as a starter or replacement. He is not at the level of playing for PSG. He is a colorless and odorless player." Although Lee Kang-in said as if he were the root of all the problems, Lee Kang-in is one of the most grown players in PSG this season.
VIPSG, another French media, also explicitly criticized Lee Kang-in on the 23rd. The media began to claim that Lee Kang-in had star disease, saying, `Lee Kang-in struggles to establish his position at PSG, which does not stop him from thinking he is a star.'
VIPSG said in a reporter's statement that Blue No Salomon "Lee Kang-in was a little complacent. He wrote, "I think I'm a star player even though I'm normal, that's what I'm hearing." There was only a claim that Lee Kang-in had star disease, but there was no basis. It seems only to be a content to force Lee Kang-in to nitpick. As Lee Kang-in has been somewhat sluggish since mid-November, strange criticism seems to come out. In the end, the player has no choice but to prove it on the field. Lee Kang-in's performance in 2025 is expected to be steady.
Fortunately, Lee Kang-in played without being conscious of excessive criticism. In the last game of 2024, PSG made up the best list. Matvei Saponov defended the goal instead of Gianluigi Donnarumma, who suffered a facial injury. Nunu Mendes, Willian Pacho, Marquignos and Ashraf Hakimi made up the four hundred. Fabian Ruiz, Vitinya and João Neves were in charge of the midfield triangular formation. Desiree Doue, Usman Dembele and Lee Kang-in were responsible for the attack.
Lee Kang-in scored his first shot in the 17th minute of the first half. Ruiz saw Lee Kang-in on the right. Lee Kang-in boldly tried to shoot in front of the defender, but the goalkeeper blocked it. Except for Lee Kang-in's shot, PSG struggled against the Lance defense until the middle of the game.
In the 25th minute of the first half, PSG shook Lance's net. From the left, Due exquisitely scored a low cross. Hakimi rushed to finish, but was declared offside and was not recognized as a score. Since then, PSG has not been able to solve the game as they wanted by giving the flow to the lance.
Lee Kang-in's sharp kick almost shone. In the 39th minute of the first half, Lee Kang-in sent a sharp kick, and Marquis turned it exquisitely, but he hit the goalkeeper and hit the post. Dembele's breakthrough in the 44th minute of the first half was fantastic only, and his shot was serious. PSG failed to score in the first half.
Vitinha's pass in the 6th minute of the second half ended with Dembele's misstep. Due's subsequent shot was saved by the goalkeeper. After 10 minutes in the second half, PSG's back space began to be attacked. However, the goal-scoring ability of the Lance strikers was also serious.
PSG coach Luis Enrique put Gonzalo Hamus and Bradley Barcola out of Lee Kang-in and Due in the 21st minute of the second half. As soon as Lee Kang-in was out, PSG fell into a crisis as it lost a point on a corner kick. Fortunately, Hamus' equalizer immediately broke out and the game was back to square one. In the end, the 90-minute match ended in a draw.
The PSG guardian was Matvei in the penalty shootout without extra time. Matvei led PSG to the round of 32 by blocking both the fourth and fifth kickers' shots.
After the game, French foot Mercato "Lee Kang-in, who moved and hit from the right side, played very well in the first 45 minutes. Lee Kang-in's play could have been better utilized. But it was barely noticeable in the second half. After losing the ball several times, he was replaced by Barcola in the 21st minute of the second half." It was the highest among the starting strikers.
rlaeotlr2024@sportschosun.com
