Atlético Madrid completed its preseason preparations with a 2-1 victory against Olympique de Marseille on August 15, 2026, highlighted by the debut start and sharp passing of new signing Lee Kang-in. The club is already seeing rapid financial returns through sold-out jersey sales and impending sponsorships.
Atlético Madrid’s newest number seven is wasting no time making an impact both on the pitch and in the club’s financial ledgers. Following his high-profile transfer from French club Paris Saint-Germain, Lee Kang-in made his first preseason start against Olympique de Marseille (Stade Vélodrome, Marseille CEPAC) at 0:30 a.m. KST on August 15, playing for 35 minutes. Playing in a 5-3-2 formation, he took the right forward position in the twin-striker setup and was tasked with leading the attack alongside Ademola Lookman, before being substituted by Carlos Martín, Spain.
Preseason Finale Victory and Tactical Deployment
Given that this was a match just before the season opener, Atlético Madrid’s coach Diego Simeone, appears to have been managing the fitness of his starting players. Atlético Madrid officially signed Lee after he left French club Paris Saint-Germain on July 25 to make his new home at Atletico, with his contract running through 2031, and a transfer fee reported at about 40 million euros ($46.7 million), or roughly 65.4 billion won, including bonus clauses.
Although he played as a forward, he often dropped into midfield areas to link up play. In the 9th minute of the first half, Lee Kang-in played a through pass from near the halfway line to the forward area, which Lookman shot, but the attempt hit the post and went wide. In the 33rd minute, he received the ball slightly further forward and immediately passed to Lookman, but again, it did not result in a goal. Two minutes later, Lee Kang-in was substituted by Carlos Martín, Spain, and left the field, having moved actively and showcased several of his signature sharp killer passes although he did not record any attacking points.
Atlético Madrid conceded first in the 22nd minute of the first half but equalized in the 35th minute and scored again in the 33rd minute of the second half to win 2-1 as Carlos Martin scores a comeback goal in the second half of the Marseille match on the 15th, allowing them to conclude their preseason with a victory.
Commercial Success and Rapid Financial Recovery
Off the pitch, the club’s investment is paying off faster than anticipated. Spanish outlet AS reported on the 12th, Korea time, that Atlético Madrid sold out all 10,000 Lee Kang-in jerseys it prepared for its Korea tour, after Lee made an unofficial debut in an Atletico jersey and held his unveiling ceremony during a preseason friendly against Manchester City at Seoul World Cup Stadium on the 9th in the 2026 Coupang Play Series.
Within the club, Lee’s jersey sales are expected to reach about five times those of the final-season jerseys of Antoine Griezmann, the team’s marquee player who left for Orlando City of Major League Soccer (MLS) after last season, with Lee having taken over Griezmann’s No. 7 shirt. Spanish media expect the club to swiftly recoup the 65.4 billion won it paid to sign Lee.
Sponsorship Deals and Deepening Korean Ties
Beyond merchandise, the benefits of signing Lee do not stop there. On the same day, Spanish outlet Vozpopuli reported that Atlético is finalizing two sponsorship deals, one of them with a Korean company, with the club pursuing a sponsorship deal worth tens of billions of won with a Korean company. According to the outlet, the two deals are each worth about 20 million euros, or roughly 32.7 billion won, and if both are completed, the total would reach about 40 million euros, meaning jersey sales and the new sponsorship deals alone would give the club revenue exceeding what it spent on Lee’s transfer fee.
Atletico has deep ties with Korean companies, as Hyundai Motor has maintained a partnership since 2018, and LG Electronics is also an official partner.
Opening Match Preparations in La Liga
Having concluded their friendly fixtures, attention shifts entirely to the domestic campaign. Lee aims to make his return to the Spanish stage after three years in the opening match of the 2026-2027 La Liga season against Malaga on the 20th.