[AFP]
[AFP]

Atletico Madrid, with Lee Kang-in in the starting lineup, beat Levante to extend their Spanish La Liga winning streak to seven matches. Lee failed to register an attacking point but was lively throughout, including a powerful left-footed effort that struck the crossbar.

Atletico won 2-0 away at Ciutat de Valencia in Valencia, Spain, in the 11th round of the 2026-27 La Liga season on Saturday at 10 p.m. Korean Standard Time.

The victory lifted Atletico to 28 points and temporarily moved the club above Barcelona into first place in the standings. Atletico have played one more match than Barcelona, however, meaning the standings could shift depending on Barcelona's next result.

Manager Diego Simeone deployed a 4-4-2 formation, with Lee starting up front alongside Julian Alvarez. Alex Baena and Giuliano Simeone were stationed on the flanks, while Pablo Barrios and Morten Hjulmand anchored the midfield.

Levante created the first dangerous chance of the match. In the 11th minute, goalkeeper Jan Oblak made a diving save to deny Dani Requena's shot.

Atletico thought they had taken the lead in the 16th minute when Hjulmand put the ball in the net, but the goal was ruled out for offside.

Lee also tested the Levante goal. In the 25th minute, Lee received a backheel pass from Baena near the penalty area and fired a left-footed shot, but the ball sailed over the crossbar.

The deadlock was broken in the 36th minute. After a Levante defender failed to clear a Baena pass, Alejandro Grimaldo collected the loose ball and drove a powerful shot into the net for the opening goal.

Atletico continued to press after the break. In the 54th minute, Alvarez's free kick was saved by the goalkeeper, and David Hancko poked in the rebound, only for the goal to be disallowed for offside once again.

A golden chance fell to Lee in the 55th minute. Receiving a pass from Barrios, Lee wasted no time and unleashed a left-footed shot that deflected off a defender and crashed against the crossbar. It was a fierce effort on goal, but the woodwork denied Lee.

Atletico sealed the win with a second goal in the 62nd minute. Baena drove forward on the counter from deep, while Lee made a central run that drew the attention of the Levante defenders. That created space on the right for Giuliano Simeone, who collected Baena's pass and finished with a left-footed shot.

Lee did not register a direct attacking point but contributed to the second goal by pulling defenders out of position with the run.

Simeone substituted Lee and Alvarez simultaneously in the 67th minute, with Lee replaced by Alexander Sorloth after 67 minutes on the pitch.

Atletico managed the remainder of the match comfortably, with Oblak and the defense combining to keep a clean sheet.

The match also drew attention for the off-pitch significance of Lee's presence.

Spanish sports outlet AS ran a piece titled "The Lee Kang-in effect: Atletico wakes up early," reporting that interest in scheduling matches at times convenient for Korean viewers has grown since Lee joined the club.

The Levante match kicked off at 2 p.m. local time in Spain — a lunchtime slot domestically, but 10 p.m. on a Saturday in Korea, a prime viewing window for football fans.

AS assessed that Lee's arrival has raised Atletico's profile in the Korean market. However, it has not been officially confirmed whether match scheduling has actually been adjusted on Lee's account.

Lee started in a time slot well-suited for Korean viewers but could not convert chances, even as the team claimed a seventh straight league win and a temporary spot at the top of the table.

Atletico face a demanding run of fixtures ahead, with matches against Bayern Munich and Barcelona coming in quick succession. Attention now turns to whether Lee, who showed attacking intent against Levante, can shake off bad luck with the woodwork and register an attacking point in the next match.


why37@heraldcorp.com