"An utterly absurd schedule": Even Kim Ki-dong sighs at the forced march, yet FC Seoul still aims for a "solo leadership" system.

*This content was translated by AI.

"This is truly an absurd situation..."

K League 1 head coach Kim Ki-dong (54) let out a sigh. This occurred during a meeting with reporters ahead of the Hana Bank K League 1 2026 Round 2 match against Ulsan HD, held at Ulsan Munsu Football Stadium on the 15th. The match between the two teams, originally scheduled for early last month, was postponed to this day due to scheduling conflicts with Seoul's Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League Elite (ACLE) fixtures. Like the Pohang Steelers vs. Gangwon FC match that was also postponed, Seoul had sought to hold the game during the A-match window at the end of March, but Ulsan expressed reluctance, resulting in the match being played as a midweek fixture on this day.

With a midweek trip to Ulsan scheduled, Seoul has been left with what can only be described as a "schedule of death." Following a home match against Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors on the 11th, the team must travel to Ulsan on the 15th, then return home to face Daejeon Hana Citizen on the 18th and Bucheon FC on the 21st. This means four matches must be played within 11 days. Compounding the difficulty, the match against Daejeon, scheduled immediately after the Ulsan trip, is set for 2 p.m., leaving even less time for recovery. Coach Kim Ki-dong stated, "After the Ulsan match, we would not arrive until 3 a.m. the next day. We would have to train all day on Friday (the 17th) and then play a match at 2 p.m. on Saturday. It is an unbelievable situation."

According to the club, the Seoul squad traveled back to Seoul on the last SRT train after the Ulsan match and then disbanded. The players were only able to rest early in the morning of the day after the match, around 2 to 3 a.m. In effect, there is no time to properly prepare for the weekend Daejeon match. The team must focus solely on recovery training following the Ulsan away trip before playing the weekend match. This is why Coach Kim Ki-dong let out a sigh.

Nevertheless, it is a relief that the team's atmosphere is better than at any other time and better than that of any other team. In fact, Seoul is currently leading the league alone with seven unbeaten matches (six wins, one draw, and one win·19 points) at the start of this season. After a 1-0 victory over Jeonbuk at the beginning of the grueling schedule, the team secured a decisive 4-1 away win against Ulsan, scoring three goals in the first half alone, and extended its winning streak. The team has broken the 9th-year-old drawless streak against Jeonbuk and the 10th-year-old drawless streak in away matches against Ulsan, further boosting the team's morale.

In particular, the away victory in Ulsan was significant not only because the team secured a decisive win despite unavoidable rotation due to a grueling schedule, but also because it confirmed the depth of the squad. Head coach Kim Ki-dong, who admitted he "struggled greatly with the decision," led the team to a 4-1 victory even after making the bold move of excluding key striker Cleymara, who has scored four goals this season, and flank defender Kim Jin-su from the starting lineup. In the process, Song Min-kyu delivered an outstanding performance with two goals and one assist, while Hoiz also scored his first goal of the season. The team gained valuable insights, including effective utilization of Son Jung-beom deployed in the forward line to expand scoring options. With Kim Ki-dong, widely regarded as the top tactician in the K League, now having more diverse tactical options at his disposal, the team's strategic flexibility has increased.

If Ulsan's demanding schedule, which coincides with the away trip, can be endured, Seoul's upward momentum could continue even more steeply. In particular, attention is turning to the weekend match against Daejeon. Although Daejeon has managed only one win (three draws, three losses) in the first seven matches of the season, it is a team that was regarded as a championship contender from the start of the season, making it an opponent that Seoul, which is aiming for 'hegemony', must definitely secure an advantage over.

Coach Kim Ki-dong is equally determined. Coach Kim stated, "Jeonbuk, Ulsan, and Daejeon are all strong teams. To demonstrate any competitiveness, we must defeat teams competing for the championship. Regardless of any jinxes, these are the mountains we must ultimately overcome." If Seoul under Kim Ki-dong were to also defeat Daejeon, it would have defeated all three consecutive matches against championship contenders Jeonbuk, Ulsan, and Daejeon, which have been playing intensively in recent times, effectively establishing a "solo leadership" position. This would also provide significant momentum in the challenge to reclaim the K League 1 title for the first time in 10 years.

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*This content was translated by AI.