Teammate use, personal skill, accurate shooting,
close pressure on the opponent’s offensive line, etc. Manager highly praised for
“Best performance since taking office” La Liga Nominee
for midfielder of the year and accurate crosses, rapid movement followed by empty space penetration, accurate shooting impact,ㅋㅋㅋ벳 and even tight defense. It was a game where Lee Kang-in (22, Mallorca)’s strengths were all revealed long before the goal was scored, and even after that. Lee Kang-in proved at once that he is growing rapidly throughout the offense and defense. Lee Kang-in achieved double-digit attack points in one season for the first time after advancing to the Spanish professional football Primera Liga (La Liga).
Lee Kang-in scored the opening goal in the 13th minute of the second half in a home game against Athletic Bilbao in the 32nd round of the 2022-2023 La Liga held at Sonmo City, Estadi Mallorca, Mallorca, Spain on the 2nd. Lee Kang-in, who overcame the competition with the opponent from the left side point below the half line and drove the ball up, supplied an accurate forward pass to the opposite side and ran to the penalty box. Amas Ndiaye then passed the cross to Vedat Muriki in front of the goal, and Lee Kang-in finished with an accurate left-footed shot as Muriki threw the ball back. Lee Kang-in’s 6th league goal of the season. Lee Kang-in, who scored his first multi-goal since his professional debut in the 31st round of La Liga, has scored 3 goals in his last 3 matches. This is the first double-digit attack point (6 goals, 4 assists) recorded in one season after entering La Liga. Lee Kang-in is the first Korean player to make more than 10 attack points in one season in La Liga.
WhoScored.com, a soccer statistics site, gave Lee Kang-in the highest rating of 8.42 for both teams. Footmob, another statistical media outlet, also gave it 8.2 points. According to Foot Mob, Lee Kang-in attempted to break through the dribble 6 times and succeeded in all of them, and won 11 out of 15 ground competitions. Lee Kang-in played as a left midfielder and played diligently in the side and center before being replaced in the 40th minute of the second half. Mallorca equalized through a penalty kick just before the end, and it was a 1-1 draw. Mallorca (11 wins, 8 draws, 13 losses, 41 points) is in 12th place in the league.
Mallorca head coach Javier Aguirre (Mexico) said, “I don’t like praising just one player,” but praised him, saying, “Lee Kang-in is showing the best performance since I took office.” Director Aguirre added, “Exactly since I took office in April of last year, Lee Kang-in has been showing off his best skills. I am happy to be with Lee Kang-in, who is proving his skills every week.” Lee Kang-in was used for about a year in the Aguirre coaching system and became the core of the attack.
Joon-hee Han, soccer commentator at Coupang Play, said, “Lee Kang-in is a chance maker who has remarkable ball keeping ability, depressurization ability, dribbling ability, and powerful left-footed shooting ability throughout La Liga, and is being treated as an ace in Mallorca and is active.” He evaluated that his versatility has improved, such as playing the role of an attacking midfielder and a slow striker while playing mainly.” One committee member added, “In attack, he moves freely like a top technician and shows off his outstanding skills.” .