Lee Kang-in’s shot tally has skyrocketed since joining Atlético Madrid in Spain’s La Liga.
On Monday, Lee started in the home match against Villarreal for the 2026-27 La Liga season at the Metropolitano Stadium in Madrid. He played for 66 minutes and, while not registering any offensive points, fired off six shots in an aggressive display as his team battled to a 2-2 draw.
Lee set the tone early, unleashing the match’s first shot right after kickoff and continuing to take bold attempts whenever opportunities presented themselves.
A recurring theme was Lee’s ability to dribble down the right flank, cut inside, and unleash left-footed shots, quickly becoming a key attacking option for Atlético Madrid.
During his 66-minute stint, Lee led all players with six shots. This follows his three-shot performance, including a goal, against Málaga, bringing his two-game average to an impressive 4.5 shots per match.
While it’s still early days with only two games under his belt, the marked increase in Lee’s shot attempts compared to his previous team is noteworthy.
During his three-year stint with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in France’s Ligue 1, Lee primarily focused on setting up strikers like Ousmane Dembélé and Gonçalo Ramos rather than taking shots himself.
In 80 Ligue 1 appearances, he recorded 101 shots, averaging 1.2 per game and netting 12 goals.
The contrast at Atlético Madrid is stark: nine shots in two matches, including one goal, for a 4.5 shots-per-game average. Though the sample size is limited, his shot frequency has more than tripled.
This shift suggests that Atlético Madrid expects Lee to take on a more direct scoring role, complementing his dribbling skills and ability to break through defensive pressure. Unlike PSG, Atlético lacks a clear-cut finisher, potentially amplifying Lee’s importance in converting chances.
Looking ahead, Lee might find himself deployed in more advanced positions, such as second striker, to maximize his goal-scoring impact.
Atlético Madrid’s head coach, Diego Simeone, experimented with Lee as a second striker during their Korean tour, praising his versatility and hinting at plans to utilize him in various attacking roles based on the team’s needs.