Korean players run to Champions League round of 16

2025-02-22     Dave Thomson Kim 기자

 

The three Korean players will face off against each other in the UEFA Champions League (UCL) Round of 16.

The UEFA held a draw for the 2024-2025 UEFA Champions League (UCL) Round of 16. It was a method of selecting one of two teams.

The opponent team for Lee Kang-in's team, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), is Liverpool. It is a big match with the most spectacular matchup in the Round of 16. It is also a true battle of champions between the top teams in France and England.

This is a chance for Lee Kang-in to show his ability against the top team in the English Premier League (PL). PSG has already faced PL teams twice in the league phase, losing to Arsenal and winning against Manchester City. Lee Kang-in started in the match against Manchester City and faithfully performed his tactical role, contributing to the 4-2 victory.

MUNICH, GERMANY - SEPTEMBER 23: Min-Jae Kim of FC Bayern München runs with the ball during the Bundesliga match between FC Bayern München and VfL Bochum 1848 at Allianz Arena on September 23, 2023 in Munich, Germany. (Photo by Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images)

 

Kim Min-jae's Bayern Munich will face fellow German team Bayer 04 Leverkusen. From Bayern's perspective, this is the toughest opponent. In the two years since Xabi Alonso took over as current Leverkusen manager, Bayern has never beaten Leverkusen. In the most recent match, Kim Min-jae and others barely held off Leverkusen's overwhelming dominance to draw 0-0.

Feyenoord, which Hwang In-beom plays for, will face Italian powerhouse Inter Milan. Feyenoord advanced to the knockout playoffs with one win and one draw against AC Milan, but they will face Milan again. Inter, currently in second place in the Italian Serie A and competing for the title, is considered a much tougher team than Milan, which is in the upper-middle ranks.

Meanwhile, the 'Madrid Derby' between Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid is considered a big match among the remaining matches. The matches are scheduled between Club Brugge and Aston Villa, PSV Eindhoven and Arsenal, Benfica and Barcelona, ​​and Borussia Dortmund and Lille.

Lee Kang-In of PSG during the Ligue 1 Uber Eats match between Paris Saint-Germain and Montpellier HSC at Parc des Princes on November 03, 2023 in Paris, France. (Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images)

 

The matchups after the round of 16 are also set in advance. Lee Kang-in will not face a Korean player unless he makes it to the finals. On the other hand, Kim Min-jae and Hwang In-beom will meet in the quarterfinals if they both make it to the round of 16.

The round of 16 will be played as midweek matches in the first and second weeks of March.