Local Media Raves About Lee Kang-in After Stunning Debut Winner: Griezmann Reacts With "Insane Goal!"

Local media outlets are pouring praise on Lee Kang-in after he scored the winning goal in his La Liga debut and was named Man of the Match.

The La Liga Round 1 match between Atletico Madrid and Malaga took place at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano in Madrid, Spain, at 4:00 AM today, Korea time (August 20).

Coming on as a substitute in the 12th minute of the second half with the score deadlocked at 0-0, Lee broke Atletico's frustrating offensive flow in the 25th minute by driving down the right flank and unleashing a left-footed opening goal.

It came as no surprise that Lee was chosen as the official Man of the Match by La Liga following Atletico's 2-0 victory.

Atletico's official social media accounts were flooded with posts about Lee, and Atletico legend Griezmann even made an appearance in the comments section.

Watching the match on TV from the United States, Griezmann left a comment reading "Insane goal!" on a video showing Lee smiling.

Griezmann, who holds the record for the most goals in Atletico history, transferred to Orlando in the United States this summer and passed down his iconic number 7 shirt to Lee.

Local media also showered him with high praise.

Spain's Mundo Deportivo reported, "A change came to Atletico when Lee appeared amid a frustrating situation," adding, "He possesses the dribbling ability to beat opponents, sudden acceleration that breaks down defenses, and even boldness in his shooting."

Manager Diego Simeone also commended Lee in his post-match interview, saying, "He played well according to what the game demanded," and "He is a player who always dedicates himself to the team, both in the national team and at his previous clubs."

He added, "Compared to the first half, substitutions brought players with more capabilities onto the pitch in the second half, and those players were able to settle the match."

(Reported by Kim Jiuk | Video by Kim Na-on | Graphics by Yook Do-hyun | Produced by SBS Digital News | Source footage: Atletico Madrid official website and social media accounts)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.