"Fake 9 Real Failure"... Coach Enrique said, "Lee Kang-in needs to adapt to the role of No. 9. I trust my players."

"Fake 9 Real Failure"... Coach Enrique said, "Lee Kang-in needs to adapt to the role of No. 9. I trust my players."

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"I believe in my players. Lee Kang-in has to adapt to the No. 9 role."

PSG tied PSV Eindhoven (the Netherlands) 1-1 in the third round of the UEFA Champions League (UCL) phase of the 2024-2025 season at Parc des Princes in Paris, France on the 23rd (Korea time).

Thanks to the win, PSG now has four points with one win, one draw and one loss. The team beat Girona of Spain 1-0 in the first match, but lost to Arsenal of England 0-2 in the second match. PSG sought to change the mood by winning the match, but had to settle for one point at home.

On this day, Lee Kang-in took on the role of the so-called "fake No. 9 (Pulse Nine)", playing the role of the front-line striker. Bradley Barcola and Usman Dembele played both wings, while Fabian Lewis-Jouan Neves-Warren Zairemeri supported them. Nuno Mendes-Willian Pacho-Marquinoz-Aschraf Hamiki set up the defense, and Gianluigi Donnarumma defended the goal.
PSG coach Luis Enrique once again depends on Lee Kang-in. PSG has been suffering from striker troubles recently. Kylian Mbappe left for Real Madrid last summer, and Gonzalo Hamus is in rehabilitation due to a long-term injury. Randal Kolo Muani has not been able to show his presence whenever he plays.

Enrique's solution is Lee Kang-in shift. He is using Lee Kang-in as the central striker, and Lee Kang-in has scored four goals in eight league games, living up to expectations. "Lee Kang-in is the best player. He can score and help both," Enrique said at a press conference ahead of the match against PSV. He is a player who can play multiple positions.

Lee Kang-in, who also attended, said, "As a No. 9 striker, I need a lot of movement. This is a positive role for me, too. I can create a lot of space and create more scoring opportunities through that space," adding, "I'm satisfied that I can move freely and contribute more to the team through this."

Lee Kang-in also said, "I am happy to play in the game itself. No matter what role I take, I will always make 100 percent effort for my team and my teammates," adding, "All matches in this tournament are like finals. We will do our best to win three points."

However, the match against PSV did not go as planned. Lee Kang-in recorded two chances, one successful cross and two shots, but failed to score an offensive point. In particular, it was painful that the shot that he hit right in front of the goal in the 44th minute was blocked by the goalkeeper's super save. Lee Kang-in, who missed the perfect opportunity to score, fell and lamented, and he left the stadium faster than expected when he was replaced by Marco Asensio in the 23rd minute of the second half.

When Lee Kang-in was silent, PSG couldn't smile. PSG gave Noah Lang the first goal in the 45th minute of the first half and Hakimi's mid-range shot in the 10th minute of the second half made the score even. He shot 25 times in 90 minutes, but ended up scoring just one point.

After the match, Enrique was not too concerned, contrary to what others saw. He said, "It's hard to explain, but soccer is a little unfair sometimes. We played very well, and we did better than PSV. We created more chances than our opponents and deserved to win. But we didn't turn important shots into goals enough. Like this unfair draw, soccer is fickle. But we could have even lost."

Enrique continued, "We are in the midst of the toughest schedule out of all the teams, and we need to be ready to move on. It will be difficult, and I am worried. But the team is not young enough. We are one of the teams that creates so many opportunities in Europe in both the league and the UCL," adding, "We have to continue on this path. It is an opportunity for us to have a difficult draw. Of course, I am also worried. I think about what we should do as a team. But I like the mentality of the players."

For now, Enrique is continuously bringing up fake No. 9 tactic at UCL. "As a coach, I do what I think is best for the team. I have no doubt that the team is in the line I want. I play the soccer that I want," he said, drawing criticism.

Some also mentioned Lee Kang-in. "Pessimism is circulating due to the unfair result, but I'm calm. I continue to trust my players," Enrique said. "Lee Kang-in needs to adapt to the No. 9 role. No player can say that he wants to play in only one position. I'm satisfied with the performance, determination, and attitude of the players."

Enrique still gives trust to Lee Kang-in. However, there are growing voices of concern in France. "L'Equipe" wrote down the headline on the front page of the newspaper as "a real failure of nine fake chances" and carried a photo of Lee Kang-in's big chance miss. He also gave Lee the lowest rating in the game with three points.

The media also said, "PSG should find a player who can finish Hakimi's cross," adding, "PSG has no 9th striker to effectively finish the cross as Hamus left due to a ligament injury in his left ankle. Lee Kang-in has other advantages, but he is not familiar with the No. 9 position."

"Foot Mercato" also gave Lee 3.5 points, the lowest score in his team 메이저사이트. The media said, "I had difficulty reaching my technical level. He defended my opponent well with a great curler on the front line, but that was all. Playing the fake No. 9, he had difficulty in defensive pressure and was often too far from the goal. I did not perform as well as I expected."

Euro Sport also gave Lee a three-point rating. "As usual, Lee came down to play and sometimes backfired. He broke his silence with a good shot in the 16th minute. However, he failed to complete his opponent's defense's big mistake from a distance of 6 meters in front of the goal in the 44th minute. In short, Paris needed a real goal scorer tonight," the media reported.