Gwangju FC has completed preparations to write a new history in Saudi Arabia.
Gwangju will face Al Hilal on the 26th at 1:30 p.m. (Korean time) in the quarterfinals of the 2024-2025 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League Elite (ACLE) at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Gwangju has already achieved a remarkable accomplishment that will be remembered in league history beyond the club. After its founding, Gwangju successfully advanced to the quarterfinals of an AFC-organized tournament for the first time in the history of the K League provincial clubs. From now on, every step taken will be new history.
The journey that Gwangju has undergone has truly been a triumphant one. From the league stage, it has continued smoothly, defeating strong Asian teams one after another. In the round of 16, it caused a sensation by overpowering Japan's J League champion Vissel Kobe with an aggregate score of 3-2 over two legs.
Nevertheless, there is no satisfaction among the players led by manager Lee Jung-hyo. They have already erased past glories from their minds. The initial goal of reaching the quarterfinals has been revised. They are determined to lift the championship trophy, starting with defeating Al Hilal.
Currently, the team's atmosphere is very good. Even amid a tight schedule that overlaps with the Korea Cup, they have shown a perfect return to form by winning four out of five matches played in April.
The team has risen to completion, showcasing good performances from players such as Heis, who has regained his form as a key player with consecutive goals, along with debut goal scorers Park In-hyeok and Kang Hee-soo, and Gabriel, who has returned from injury.
Their opponent Al Hilal is a prestigious club with 19 titles in the Saudi Professional League (the most championships) and 4 titles in the AFC Champions League (the predecessor of ACLE, the most championships). The squad is also impressive, featuring players such as Aleksandar Mitrović in the front line, Rubén Neves, Sergej Milinković-Savić in the midfield, and Kalidou Koulibaly and Yassine Bounou in defense, all of whom have dominated European stages.
However, Gwangju has consistently overturned objective power assessments and relative evaluations, yielding unexpected results repeatedly. At the center of this is Gwangju's unique organizational strength as a one team. Regardless of the opponent, Gwangju's style and tactical philosophy are being implemented.
Manager Lee Jung-hyo noted, "We analyzed Al Hilal. We believe we have the upper hand in terms of organization. Soccer is a team sport. I believe in the potential of our players. We want to win and must win. As always, we will play the soccer we have been playing."
[Photo] Provided by Gwangju FC.
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