'Jeonghyo Magic' is coming to an end! Gwangju, ACLE Saudi Accommodation to the semifinals..."The first 20 minutes is the key. I'm more afraid of Alhilal"

'Jeonghyo Magic' is coming to an end! Gwangju, ACLE Saudi Accommodation to the semifinals..."The first 20 minutes is the key. I'm more afraid of Alhilal"

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Gwangju FC will play against 'post-Asian class' Al Hilal (Saudi Arabia).
Gwangju, led by head coach Lee Jung-hyo, will play a single-round match in the 2024-2025 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League Elite (ACLE) quarterfinals at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on the 26th (Korea time).

Gwangju, which advanced to the quarterfinals by beating Japan's J-League powerhouse Vissel Kobe in the round of 16, will meet with the West Asian team for the first time at this tournament. The ACLE, which is divided into East and West Asian regions and played the league stage and round of 16, will be held in Saudi Arabia, a neutral region from the quarterfinals to the finals.

With K League 1 champion Ulsan HD and the Korea Cup (FA Cup) winner Pohang Steelers eliminated from the league stage, Gwangju was the only one who survived and is now looking higher. In particular, if they make it to the semifinals, they can secure $600,000 in prize money, while the runner-up team will receive $4 million and the winner will receive $10 million.

Of course, it is not an easy journey. Al-Hilal is the Asian version of the Invincible Fleet. Al-Hilal, who had a huge amount of oil money, had special stars who played in European big leagues and World Cups, including João Cancelo, Huven Neves, Aleksandar Mitrovic, Kalidou Koulibaly and Yashin Bunu, across all positions.

Of course, al-Hilal's ransom is beyond imagination. According to Transfermarkt, a media outlet specializing in the global soccer transfer market, the market value of al-Hilal is estimated at 180 million euros. In contrast, Gwangju only costs 8.6 million euros. Jasir Asani, the "Albania Express" who participated in the Euro 2024 event, is the only one who paid more than 1 million euros. Asani was priced at 1.2 million euros.

Gwangju, however, has no intention of taking a step back. In fact, Gwangju has reserved the Saudi Arabian team's lodging until the semifinal. The decision is made with the determination to go beyond Al-Hilal. Naturally, the team is in a good mood. It has gained momentum by garnering three wins in four recent K-League 1 matches. Expectations are high for a miracle, led by Asani and midfielder Park Tae-joon, who scored 10 goals in nine matches of the ACLE.

In particular, Park Tae-joon was scheduled to join the Armed Forces Sports Unit earlier this month, but he has postponed his enlistment to June to participate in the ACLE, burning his passion. Gwangju arrived in Jeddah on the 21st and began adapting to the local area, and is preparing for a showdown.

Gwangju has enjoyed playing offensive soccer with strong teamwork, but some changes are inevitable in the match against Al-Hilal. There is a near zero chance that Al-Hilal will lower the line in Gwangju, where objective power is heavily behind. Lee will likely try to take advantage of this and make a count attack. Lee Jung-hyo has always been strong in head-to-head games.
Once he holds out well for the first 20 minutes of the first half, he or she will become impatient and will be chased by Al Hilal. As time passes, the opponent team's hind space will inevitably open up. "We analyzed Al Hilal. In terms of teamwork, we are not behind," Lee said. "Football is a team sport. We believe in infinite possibilities. We really want to win the championship. As always, we will play the soccer that we used to play." 메이저놀이터

Meanwhile, Gwangju will hold a group cheering event for the al-Hilal match at the Gwangju e-Sports Stadium (Chosun University). Some 1,000 fans who could not go to Saudi Arabia due to circumstances are expected to join the event. If Gwangju advances to the semifinals, the team is reportedly planning a street cheering event.