After Lee Kang-in and Park Ji-sung, do we know 'Big Year'

After Lee Kang-in and Park Ji-sung, do we know 'Big Year'

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The two giants of European club football, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG, France) and Inter Milan (Italy), will meet on a single-wood bridge. They will have a one-off showdown in the 2024-25 UEFA Champions League final, which kicks off at Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany, at 4 a.m. on the 1st (Korea time). More than 400 million soccer fans around the world will watch the real-time match between the two teams live.

Lee Kang-in (24), a key midfielder of the PSG national soccer team, is aiming to play in the finals of the tournament as the third Korean after Park Ji-sung and Son Heung-min (Tottenham). It is an opportunity to leave his name as a Korean player who lifts the "Big Year" (a nickname for the Champions trophy with big ears) for the first time in 17 years since Park Ji-sung who played for Manchester United in the 2007-08 season.

First of all, chances are not high that he will start. He only stood on the bench in both the quarterfinals and the semifinals. However, if his team is taken away, there is still a possibility that he will be deployed as the "Joker" at any time. PSG said on its website on the 29th, "I will definitely win the championship."

The PSG head coach is legendary Luis Enrique (55), who was in charge of the Spanish team's midfield when he was active. Leading the French Ligue 1 and French Cup championships earlier this season, he is on the threshold of "Treble (triple major championship)" for the second time since he was the FC Barcelona coach in 2015. PSG, which was acquired by Qatar Capital in 2011 and has emerged as an "emerging powerhouse," will try to win its first championship in 55 years since its foundation in 1970.
Kylian Mbappe, a goaltender who was responsible for more than 40 goals alone, left for Real Madrid, but is preparing to hunt for goals with a trio of strikers leading to Khvicha Kravatshelia (24, Georgia), Uman Dembele (28), and Desiree Doue (20, France).

Notably, Dembele, who is standing at the center of the three-top, moves freely between the front line, the side, and the midfield throughout the game, shaking the opponent's defense to create a chance to score goals. Having scored 33 goals in this season's regular league and cup competitions, including eight in this year's event, Dembele has also been listed as a candidate for the Ballon d'Or, which is awarded to the best player of the year.

Inter Milan is aiming at its fourth championship in 15 years. Its coach Simone Inzaghi of Italy was overshadowed by his brother's reputation as an active player, but he is different as a leader. Inzaghi has become a "master" by reaching the Champions League finals two times out of the last three seasons.

Unlike the recent trend of tactics based on four-back formation, Inzaghi insists on three-back (3-5-2). Born in 1997, he will penetrate the heart of the opponent team by banking on his two-top cap Lautaro Martinez (Argentina) and Marcus Thurang (France), who are the same age as him at 28. Martinez, who led Argentina to the 2022 FIFA World Cup, scored nine goals to lead the team to the finals. Inzaghi will hold out by banking on his solid defense capabilities and aim for a goal through bold and fast counter-attack soccer whenever he has an opportunity. Prior to going to the finals, Inzaghi defeated Bayern Munich (Germany) and FC Barcelona (Spain) in the same way.

The two teams that made it to the finals earned more than 200 billion won (14.6 million U.S. dollars) in prize money, including victory allowances and various dividends. If the team embraces the big year, it will receive an additional 16.3 billion won (14.6 million dollars) in prize money. The prize money for tickets to the finals, the UEFA Super Cup (a one-off showdown between the Champions League and Europa League winners), and the FIFA Club World Cup qualification are included in the prize money. 스포츠토토