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Lee Kang-in poses with his No. 7 jersey during his official unveiling ceremony at Atlético Madrid on the 17th (local time). / EPA-Yonhap

Lee Kang-in (25, Atlético Madrid) is taking on a new challenge.

Lee expressed strong determination to win titles at his official unveiling ceremony at Atlético Madrid, held at Riyadh Air Metropolitano in Madrid, Spain, on the 17th (local time), saying he came there solely for the sake of winning titles.

After signing a long-term contract with Atlético Madrid through June 2031, Lee made his unofficial debut before Korean fans on the 9th at Seoul World Cup Stadium in a Coupang Play Series friendly against Manchester City. That day's event marked his official unveiling ceremony since arriving in Spain.

Lee made clear his goals at his new club, saying his only aim is to help the team, and that he will remain fully committed to it until the last day he wears the Atlético jersey.

Atlético Madrid will open their La Liga season against promoted side Málaga at Riyadh Air Metropolitano on the 19th. Having left Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) to return to Spain, a familiar stage for him, Lee enters the new season as a key figure expected to lead the team's attack. While he saw limited playing time amid fierce competition for a starting spot at PSG, he has the potential to take on a more prominent role at Atlético, leveraging his creative passing and ability to build attacking play. Still, adapting to the high work rate, intense pressing, and active defensive contribution demanded by manager Diego Simeone's system will be the first hurdle he needs to clear.

Lee has already felt the intensity of Simeone's style firsthand. He said the biggest difference from his previous clubs is the manager's immense passion, adding that while training intensity has been very high, he's enjoyed it thanks to the team's unique atmosphere.

Since attacking talent alone won't guarantee him a starting spot, how quickly he can internalize the tactical discipline Simeone demands is expected to be key to the early competition for playing time. Lee's passing and ability to break through pressure could offer Atlético a new attacking option, given the club's emphasis on defensive organization.

Atlético has undergone major squad reinforcement this offseason to shake off the disappointment of finishing last season without a trophy. Alongside Lee, the club has brought in players including Alejandro Grimaldo, Morten Hjulmand, and Cristian Romero, signaling a strong intent to challenge the Real Madrid-Barcelona duopoly at the top of Spanish football.

                                                                                                          Cheon Hyun-bin