Paris Saint-Germain's place in the round of 16 is at stake against Borussia Dortmund, with UEFA expecting Lee Kang-in to start.
UEFA's official website has included Lee in the Paris Saint-Germain squad to face Dortmund in anticipation of the final group stage matches of the 2023-24 UEFA Champions League on Wednesday and Thursday. The midfielder is lined up in the attacking third alongside Randal Colomuani and Kylian Mbappe.
Lee has moved between central midfield and flanker this season, depending on the team's needs. Against Nantes on Oct. 10, he started on the right flank in place of Ousmane Dembele. He partnered with Hakimi Carlos Soler on the right flank and impressed Enrique with a number of crisp passes, especially to frontline striker Kylian Mbappe.
What makes the match against Dortmund even more likely is that Dembele will be unavailable due to suspension. Dembele received a one-match suspension for a red card in the last group stage match against Newcastle United, accumulating three group stage cautions.
ESPN is also counting on Lee to replace Dembele. "Enrique has enjoyed talks with Lee Kang-in, who will replace Dembele on the right flank against Dortmund," ESPN writes. That's because Paris Saint-Germain's buildup depends on the pairing of Lee and Ashraf Hakimi."
"Dembele's suspension is a big blow. Many of our passes go through him, making him our main playmaker. We saw it against Nantes when Dembele came on with 25 minutes to go, and before that, the pace and rhythm of the whole Paris Saint-Germain attack was much slower. Lee is a different type of player than Dembele. He doesn't have the same speed, but he can make a difference with his dribbling accuracy and technical ability."
Enrique appreciates Lee's multi-positional abilities. "He is a player that we can use in different positions. He can play in the midfield, but also inside as a 'false nine'. He can also play on the wing. He has the ability to finish his passes with a goal." "We are very happy to have him on board."
Lee has spent the last two seasons in the Spanish Primera Liga with Mallorca, where he was a standout performer.
Unlike Mallorca, Paris Saint-Germain has a star-studded squad, so it was expected that Lee would struggle to find consistent playing time.
In fact, Paris Saint-Germain have added Goncalo Higuain, Asensio, and Dembele to their attacking lineup to fill the void left by the likes of Lionel Messi and Neymar.
However, Lee started both of the Ligue 1's opening two games and has since cemented his place in the starting lineup, even after being called up for the Asian Games and the national team. He has one goal and one assist in eight Ligue 1 appearances this season, including a goal in a Champions League match against AC Milan on October 26. 토토
Group F, which includes Paris Saint-Germain, is the Group of Death, and it's going to come down to the wire. After five games, Dortmund has secured the top two spots with 10 points and a spot in the round of 16. Paris Saint-Germain is second with seven points. Newcastle United and AC Milan are tied on five points and still have hopes of qualifying.
Paris Saint-Germain can reach the last 16 on their own if they beat Dortmund. If the teams have the same number of points, they will finish first in the group ahead of Dortmund using the following ranking system: head-to-head points → head-to-head goals scored → head-to-head goals conceded → head-to-head aggregate goals scored. Paris Saint-Germain beat Dortmund 2-0 in the first leg.
However, a draw against Dortmund would complicate things. Paris Saint-Germain has played Newcastle United in two games, drawing one and losing one. Therefore, if Paris Saint-Germain draws with Dortmund and Newcastle United beats AC Milan, Paris Saint-Germain will fall and Newcastle United will advance to the round of 16.
The number of cases in which AC Milan wins is different. Paris Saint-Germain and AC Milan have a head-to-head record of 1 win and 1 loss. Therefore, we have to look at head-to-head goal difference. In the first leg, Paris Saint-Germain beat AC Milan 3-0 and in the second leg, they lost 1-2. With a two-goal advantage on goal difference, Paris Saint-Germain will advance to the round of 16.
ESPN said, "As Enrique told his players, it's time for Paris Saint-Germain to become a real team and control their destiny. Everything is in Paris' hands. They can't afford to feel the pressure. As Kolo Mouani insists, their place in the Champions League is at stake."