This marks the fifth championship for Paris Saint-Germain (PSG). Lee Kang-in (24, PSG) has lifted the championship trophy once again.
Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) defeated Angers 1-0 in the 28th round of Ligue 1 for the 2024-2025 season, held on the 6th (Korean time) at Parc des Princes in Paris, France.
With this victory, PSG recorded 74 points (22 wins, 6 draws), increasing the gap to 22 points with second-place AS Monaco, confirming their league championship early regardless of the results of the remaining 6 matches. This is their fourth consecutive league title and the 13th Ligue 1 title overall.
Under the leadership of coach Luis Enrique, PSG utilized a 4-3-3 formation. Dejiro Due, Gonçalo Ramos, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Fabian Ruiz, Vitinha, Warren Zaïre-Emery, Luka Hernández, William Pacho, Marquinhos, and Achraf Hakimi were fielded as starters.
Unfortunately, Lee Kang-in was not part of the match. He injured his ankle during the match against Oman in the March A match period. Fortunately, he quickly returned to training, but since the league match was not critically important, he chose to rest instead of forcing participation.
Coach Enrique allowed not only Lee Kang-in but also several key players to rest against Angers. Ousmane Dembélé, Bradley Barcola, and João Neves were left out of the starting lineup. This was in preparation for the first leg of the UEFA Champions League (UCL) quarterfinals against Aston Villa, which will occur mid-week.
Overall, PSG controlled the match but showed some frustration in their offensive play. In the 30th minute of the first half, Ramos's header missed the target, and shortly after, Vitinha's sharp long-range shot was tipped by the goalkeeper.
PSG finally broke the deadlock. In the 10th minute of the second half, Angers' defense failed to clear the ball properly from the flanks, and Khvicha intercepted it and crossed to the other side. Due rushed in and finished with his right foot, scoring the opening goal.
Due's goal decided the match. PSG maintained a narrow lead despite Achraf Hakimi missing a good chance in the 34th minute of the second half, but they held on without conceding until the end, adding 3 points to their tally. As a result, PSG has once again claimed the throne at home.
With this, Lee Kang-in has added a fifth championship to his collection at PSG, securing the Ligue 1 trophy for the second consecutive year. He won the league, the French Super Cup, and the Coupe de France trophy immediately after joining PSG last season. This season, he has also clinched the league and the Trophée des Champions trophy.
Lee Kang-in boasts an impressive winning streak. During his time at Valencia, he also rose to the top of the Copa del Rey in the 2018-2019 season, and he is currently collecting championship trophies every season at PSG.
In particular, Lee Kang-in scored a stunning opening goal in the final of the Trophée des Champions last season. Thanks to that, he became the first Asian player to be named MOM (Man of the Match) of the tournament.
Lee Kang-in has won while wearing the national team badge. He contributed to the gold medal win of the South Korea U-23 national team, led by coach Hwang Sun-hong, in the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games. He further brightened his future by receiving military service exemption.
Now, Lee Kang-in and PSG's next challenge is an undefeated Ligue 1 title and the long-awaited UCL victory. PSG will set a record for an unbeaten championship if they do not lose in the remaining 6 league matches. With the Coupe de France final and UCL quarterfinal remaining, they can aim for 'quadrople' beyond 'treble.'
[Photo] Paris Saint-Germain, Lee Kang-in, Integral Football social media.
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