PSG Secures 4-1 Aggregate Victory Against Real Sociedad; Lee Records First Career Champions League Assist

Courtesy of Paris Saint-Germain's instagram

Korean midfielder Lee Kang-in contributed to Paris Saint-Germain's (PSG) advancement to the quarterfinals of the UEFA Champions League. PSG defeated Real Sociedad 2-1 in the second leg of the round of 16 at Anoeta Stadium in San Sebastian, Spain, on Tuesday (local time), securing a 4-1 victory on aggregate. This marks PSG's first appearance in the European quarterfinals since the 2020-2021 season.

Lee Kang-in, who came off the bench at the start of the second half, played a crucial role in PSG's second goal. With PSG leading 1-0 from Kylian Mbappe's 15th-minute goal, Lee provided a key assist to Mbappe. Eleven minutes into the second half, Lee delivered a long pass, allowing Mbappe to collect the ball, cut inside, and score with a low shot into the bottom left corner. 

▲ Courtesy of Paris Saint-Germain's instagramThe match against Real Sociedad was Lee's first Champions League appearance since rejoining PSG after Korea's semifinal exit at the AFC Asian Cup in Qatar last month. Lee had previously made headlines for a table tennis scuffle with captain Son Heung-min on the eve of Korea's semifinal loss to Jordan, prompting an apology from Lee to Son and the team.

In a separate Champions League fixture, Bayern Munich secured a spot in the quarterfinals by defeating Lazio 3-0 in their second leg at Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany. Bayern advanced with a 3-1 aggregate victory. However, Korean center back Kim Min-jae did not play in the match, with Eric Dier starting ahead of him. Kim was absent from Bayern's final training session and missed his first match of the season for reasons other than injury or international duty.

The draw for the quarterfinals is scheduled for March 15, with the opening legs set for April 9 or 10, and the return legs on April 16 or 17. Lee Kang-in previously scored his first Champions League goal during the group stage in October of the previous year, contributing three goals and three assists in all competitions this season.

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Kang In sig, insig6622@naver.com