Lee Kang-in of Atletico Madrid [Reuters]
Lee Kang-in of Atletico Madrid [Reuters]

Atletico Madrid's Lee Kang-in, 25, has been named in the starting lineup for Saturday's away match against Levante — a kickoff time that Korean fans will find convenient. Spanish media have begun analyzing how Lee's popularity is influencing La Liga's scheduling decisions.

Atletico Madrid announced the starting XI ahead of the 2026-2027 La Liga season's 11th-round away fixture against Levante at Ciutat de Valencia in Valencia, Spain, kicking off at 10 p.m. Saturday (Korean Standard Time).

Manager Diego Simeone named Lee alongside Julian Alvarez, Alex Baena, Morten Hjulmand, Pablo Barrios, Giuliano Simeone, Alejandro Grimaldo, David Hancko, Marc Pubill, Marcos Llorente and Jan Oblak in the starting eleven.

Lee's inclusion in the starting lineup has drawn attention given Atletico's upcoming schedule. After the Levante match, the club faces Bayern Munich and Barcelona in quick succession. There had been speculation that Simeone might rest some key players ahead of those demanding fixtures.

Atletico-focused outlet In the Calderon had listed Lee as a rotation candidate and suggested changes were possible in attack. Simeone, however, opted to start Lee, signaling that the club is prioritizing a win against Levante.

Atletico currently sit second in the league with 25 points. The club aims to add three more points against Levante, who are 15th with 10 points, and stay in contention at the top of the table.

Lee also started the previous match against Deportivo La Coruna, playing 67 minutes. Although Lee did not register an attacking contribution, Lee pressed the opposition defense with active movement throughout. Against Levante, Lee will look to end a run of six matches without a goal or assist.

The kickoff time itself has also become a talking point.

Spanish sports outlet AS ran a piece Saturday under the headline "The Lee Kang-in effect: Atletico wakes up early," analyzing how Lee's arrival has influenced the club's scheduling of match times.

The Levante match kicks off at 2 p.m. local time in Spain. With Spain ending daylight saving time, the time difference with South Korea has widened to eight hours, allowing Korean fans to watch the game at 10 p.m. on a Saturday. While it is an early lunchtime kickoff in Spain, it falls squarely in what Korean viewers would consider prime time on a weekend evening.

AS noted that since Lee joined Atletico, the club has increasingly been scheduled for 2 p.m. local kickoffs — a slot that draws relatively little interest in Spain but promises strong viewership demand in South Korea.

This is the second time this season Atletico have played at 2 p.m. local time.

The La Liga ninth-round away match against Espanyol on Oct. 17 also kicked off at the same time. Atletico won that game 1-0 thanks to a late winner from Alex Baena. Lee started but was substituted before the decisive goal was scored.

AS also highlighted the reaction of the Korean broadcast team to Baena's winner that day, noting that the Korean commentators celebrated Atletico's victory with great enthusiasm even though Lee had already left the pitch.

The early kickoff also requires adjustments from the squad. For a 2 p.m. match, Atletico players take their pre-match meal at 10 a.m., followed by massages and a tactical meeting at the hotel. A separate breakfast is also arranged at 7 a.m. for players who want it.


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