[AFP]
[AFP]

Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone praised Lee Kang-in after the South Korean forward scored the decisive goal in his club debut.

Atletico Madrid defeated Malaga 2-0 in their 2026-27 La Liga season opener at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano in Madrid on Thursday (Korean Standard Time).

Lee, 25, came on as a substitute in the 57th minute and needed just 13 minutes to break the deadlock with a stunning left-footed strike.

"Lee Kang-in is a player who does what the game demands," Simeone said after the match. "He is a dedicated player who fulfills his role when the team needs him."

"I saw that with the South Korean national team and at his previous clubs," Simeone added. "He always gives everything he has. I will help him perform at his best."

Reflecting on the match, Simeone said Malaga had played well but that his side knew they would improve as the game wore on. "The work we did in the first half was important in wearing down the opposition," he said. "The players who came on in the second half showed the quality we demand and settled the game in the best possible way."


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