“Thin Ice for 3rd Place”: Jeonbuk Manager Chung Jung-yong, “We Cannot Afford to Miss Out on Either the League or the ACL” [On-site in Anyang]

*This content was translated by AI.View Original

Jeonbuk Hyundai Manager Chung Jung-yong is aiming for a victory in the final regular round match with an all-out effort.

Jeonbuk will face FC Anyang in Round 33 of the Hana Bank K League 1 2026 at Anyang General Sports Complex at 2 p.m. on the 24th. This is the last league match to be played before entering the final round.

Manager Chung met with reporters before the match and said, “I feel like I will only be at ease if we win all our remaining matches. The schedule overlaps with the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League (ACL), so it is not easy as we mobilize all available resources to find a solution.”

It is important to continue the momentum of turning the atmosphere around. Jeonbuk has experienced some ups and downs, recording one win, two draws, and two losses in their last five matches, but they escaped their winless streak by defeating Jeju SK 3-2 in the previous round. They have already secured a spot in Final A, the upper split, well in advance, regardless of the match result, with a record of 12 wins, 11 draws, and 9 losses (47 points) in 32 matches to sit in third place.

However, the battle for the top rankings, which determines next year’s ticket to the Asian stage, remains on thin ice. Currently, Jeonbuk in third place (47 points) is only three points behind Ulsan HD in second place (50 points). In addition, they are level on points with Gangwon FC in fourth place (47 points), while Daejeon Hana Citizen in fifth place (46 points) and Jeju in sixth place (46 points) are closing in by just one point. The gap is also not large compared to Incheon United in seventh place (43 points), making three points essential to secure a spot in next season’s Asian club competition.

The tight away schedule is another hurdle to overcome. Manager Chung said, “It is a grueling schedule where we play the league just three days after returning from an ACL away trip and then immediately have to play the Champions League again at home,” adding, “Tactics are important, but smoothly operating the squad’s depth directly impacts performance. We are focusing on this aspect.”

He also presented a firm standard regarding squad division and maintaining organizational cohesion. Manager Chung said, “We cannot afford to miss out on either the league or the ACL. The key is to build an organization that runs like a gear system no matter which player comes in,” adding, “In addition to practical training, we are combining video meetings and theoretical preparation to raise the level of completion.”

At the center of the upward trend is the footwork of main striker Thiago. Thiago has been showcasing peak goal-scoring form by scoring five goals in his last three league matches.

On the other hand, he expressed confidence in winger Lee Dong-jun, who has suffered a drought in goals this season. Manager Chung said, “When I see him in training, it looks like he will score, but it is disappointing that he has not found the net in actual matches,” while adding, “His defensive commitment is dedicated and his overall contribution to the game is good. If he can just score one goal as an attacker, his confidence will rise instantly.”

He also shared the background behind the surprise call-ups of young resources. Regarding Hwang Seung-jun, a player from Team N who was included in the substitute list on this day, Manager Chung said, “We have consistently brought players who have stood out at Team N up to the first division for training,” adding, “I hope that a culture where players seize opportunities and step up during squad vacancies is firmly established at Jeonbuk.”

On this day, Jeonbuk will deploy Italo, Thiago, and Lee Dong-jun in a three-striker attack to target Anyang’s goal. Kang Sang-yoon, Lee Young-jae, and Gamboa will guard the midfield, while Choi Woo-jin, Kim Young-bin, Park Ji-su, and Lee Sang-myung will form the back four line. Goalkeeper Song Bum-keun will wear the gloves.

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original