▲ Atletico's Lee Kang-in competing for the ball
South Korean midfielder Lee Kang-in of Spanish professional football club Atletico Madrid has returned to the pitch, putting injury concerns behind him and contributing to his team's sixth consecutive league victory.
Starting in the home match against Deportivo La Coruna for Round 10 of the 2026-2027 La Liga season held at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano in Madrid, Spain, Lee played for 67 minutes before being substituted for Alexander Sorloth in the 22nd minute of the second half while his team was leading 1-0.
Previously, Lee was included in the substitute bench for the 2026-2027 UEFA Champions League league phase Matchday 3 away match against VfB Stuttgart in Germany on October 21, which ended in a 1-1 draw, but ultimately did not play.
It was the first time that Lee remained on the bench without playing since transferring from Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) to Atletico this summer.
Local media reported, "Lee experienced minor discomfort due to a bruised quadriceps in his front thigh, so he was not forced to play. He did not even warm up as a precautionary measure."
Fortunately, Lee normally rejoined team training held on October 22 local time, and returned in healthy shape for the match against Deportivo.
Lee has so far appeared in 12 out of 13 official matches played by Atletico this season.
In La Liga, he has played in all 10 matches (starting 8), recording 2 goals and 1 assist.
Playing as a right winger against Deportivo, Lee did not record any attacking points, but showcased his presence through his signature dribbling and sharp shots, wiping out concerns over his injury.
He recorded a 78% passing accuracy (21 successful passes out of 27 attempts), succeeded in all four of his dribble attempts, and won all five of his ground duels.
In the 37th minute of the first half, he shook off the defense from the right flank, drove the ball into the penalty area, and attempted a right-footed shot. Just a minute later, he threatened the opponent with a left-footed curling shot from the right side of the penalty area.
Atletico secured a 1-0 victory thanks to the opening and winning goal scored by Julian Alvarez in the 3rd minute of the second half.
Riding a wave of six consecutive wins and accumulating 25 points (8 wins, 1 draw, 1 loss), Atletico chased league leaders Barcelona (27 points), who are on a nine-match opening winning streak, to within a 2-point gap.
(Photo: Getty Images)
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