The 2026-2027 Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) Champions League, commonly known as the Champions League, played its opening league-phase matches.
Lee Kang-in started away at Liverpool for Atlético Madrid, but his team failed to protect its early goal.
Regardless of search interest in South Korea, matches were held across Europe—including the United Kingdom, Belgium, France, and Spain—and the ways Korean players appeared also differed.
3-Line Summary
1. Lee Kang-in played 59 minutes against Liverpool
2. Atlético lost 1-2
3. Ratings and match records should be considered separately
A 1-0 Lead Overturned at Anfield
Atlético Madrid, with Lee Kang-in in the starting lineup, lost 1-2 to Liverpool in the away league-phase opener held at Anfield in Liverpool, United Kingdom, on the 10th in Korean time. Lee Kang-in was deployed in the attack alongside Julián Álvarez and played 59 minutes before being substituted in the 14th minute of the second half. It was his first Champions League main-stage appearance in an Atlético shirt.
Atlético made the better start. In the 17th minute of the first half, Marcos Llorente received a through pass played forward by Álvarez from midfield and finished with a left-footed shot. The visitors took the lead, but Liverpool leveled through Dominik Szoboszlai in the 40th minute of the first half. In the 5th minute of the second half, Alexis Mac Allister connected with a left-footed long-range shot after the ball rolled outside the penalty area, scoring the go-ahead goal.
Atlético made changes by taking off Lee Kang-in and Koke and bringing on Alejandro Grimaldo and Ademola Lookman. However, there were no more goals. The 1-2 scoreline, after conceding twice following the opening goal, was confirmed as the final result, and Atlético failed to earn points in its first match.
0 Shots and 3 Successful Long Passes Remain in the Record
Lee Kang-in’s individual performance is difficult to summarize with one number. According to the football statistics outlet FotMob, he completed 25 of 28 passes, for a completion rate of 89%. He completed all 3 long passes, and created 1 chance, meaning a pass that led to a shot. There was also a sequence in which he escaped strong pressure with a dribble, then sent a switch pass to the flank to continue the attack.
The opposing side of the record is also clear. Lee Kang-in did not record a single shot and had neither a goal nor an assist. As a player selected to start as a forward, the absence of attacking points is not insignificant. However, it is also difficult to explain everything about his role over 59 minutes solely through his number of shots. His passing connections and switches were successful, but they did not lead to his team’s equalizer or go-ahead goal; that is the interpretation closest to the day’s record.
Local media assessments were generally low. Spanish outlet Marca gave him 1 star on a 3-star scale, while AS also rated him with 1 spade. The rating from ElDesmarque, as reported by MoneyToday, was 4 out of 10. Such ratings are the result of each outlet’s interpretation of the performance. They are not the same type of information as verifiable match records, such as pass-completion rate or playing time, or the 1-2 defeat.
Han Beom-lee Played the Full Match, While Hwang In-beom Came On in the Second Half
Other Korean players also appeared on the first day of the league phase. Han Beom-lee, a central defender for Belgian club Club Brugge, started at home against Aston Villa on the 9th in Korean time and played the full match. For Han Beom-lee, who had experienced the qualifying rounds during his time at Midtjylland, it was his first appearance in the Champions League main stage. Brugge conceded three goals in the first half and pulled two back, but lost 2-3.
In FotMob records reported by Yonhap News Agency and the Korea Daily, Han Beom-lee recorded a pass-completion rate of 94% and an aerial-duel success rate of 100%. A team’s defeat does not erase every defensive record, but these figures did not change the conceding result. Han Beom-lee played all 90 minutes, and Brugge finished its first match without a point.
Hwang In-beom, Porto’s midfielder, came on as a substitute in the 23rd minute of the second half against Manchester City. Porto lost 0-2 after conceding two goals to Erling Haaland, and Hwang In-beom did not record an attacking point. Lee Kang-in, who started and played 59 minutes; Han Beom-lee, who completed the full match; and Hwang In-beom, who came on in the second half, all appeared on the first matchday of the same competition, but their playing time and roles were not the same.
Paris’ 6-1 and Barcelona’s 5-1
Other matches also produced wide-margin victories. At the Parc des Princes in Paris, France, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) defeated Slovan Bratislava 6-1. Ferran Torres scored three goals, while Ousmane Dembélé recorded two goals and two assists. SBS News reported that PSG were the defending champions, having won the Champions League in the previous two seasons.
At Camp Nou in Barcelona, Spain, FC Barcelona defeated Feyenoord 5-1. Lamine Yamal recorded 1 goal and 2 assists and, according to Munhwa Ilbo, recorded 23 career Champions League attacking points at the age of 19 years and 58 days. This surpassed the 20 attacking points Kylian Mbappé accumulated as a teenager, setting the record for the most attacking points by a teenager in the competition’s history.
The Champions League’s first matchday left behind Lee Kang-in’s passing record and lack of attacking points, Han Beom-lee’s full-match appearance and Brugge’s defeat, and Hwang In-beom’s brief substitute appearance. What was confirmed from the Liverpool match was Atlético’s 1-2 defeat and Lee Kang-in’s 59-minute appearance. Ratings are best read as outlet-specific opinions on the match.
References
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