Ulsan and Tigres will have their first confrontation at the Club World Cup on the night of the 4th.
[골닷컴] Reporter Park Byung-gyu =’Asian Champion’ Ulsan Hyundai is fighting against North Central American Champion (CONCACAF) Tigress UANL (Mexico). The difference in the overall ransom value of the squad is about 55 billion, but coach Hong Myung-bo said that it was only a number.
Ulsan will play the first match of the 2020 FIFA Club World Cup against Tigres at the’Ahmèh bin Ali Stadium’ in Doha, Qatar, at 11 p.m. on the 4th. Tigres is a strong player in Mexican tradition and, like Ulsan, uses the tiger as a team symbol. Ahead of the’Tiger Derby’ in Asia and North and Central America, there is already a lot of attention.
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Manager Hong Myung-bo and goalkeeper Jo Hyun-woo attended an official press conference on the evening of the 3rd, one day before the game. Director Hong Myung-bo said, “It wasn’t a long time, but I tried my best. I hope that the players will show off their performance in the game tomorrow.” Jo Hyun-woo, who accompanied him, said, “It is an honor to participate in the big competition. I will play without regrets while having fun so that I can show the game of Ulsan well.”
Ulsan has been inaugurated under the Hong Myung-bo supervisory system for only about a month. Naturally, many players either left the team or joined the team. Winter training has just begun, so it takes more time to improve your condition and get organized.
Director Hong Myung-bo said, “I have trained for about 20 days now while holding the command post. It’s not enough time to get organized. Nevertheless, the players worked hard for a short time to raise the physical and competitive side. It is also fortunate that the injured player did not come out. The game may not be perfect tomorrow, but I want to show 100 percent of my power.” “The opportunity to participate in the Club World Cup is rare. I hope that this opportunity will be happy and enjoyable. This is where the 2022 Qatar World Cup is held. I hope that I will enjoy tomorrow, too.” He hoped that the players would not be burdened with the result.
Because it is a competition with champions of each continent, the interest of foreign media was high. Mexican media intensively asked about their own football and tigres. Manager Hong Myung-bo said, “I played a lot with Mexico as a player. It is a country with a strong passion for soccer and is also very good at soccer. In addition, he also had experience with the Mexican club during the LA Galaxy period,” he said. “I fully understood Tigres. Individual ability is good and I think it is a top-notch team.” Jo Hyun-woo also said, “Mexico is a country that prefers very fast soccer and forward pressure. Defenders often feel burdened. However, there are many players in Ulsan who can bother the opponent’s defense. I also have high expectations,” he responded.
The K-League team showed weakness after losing to both North and Central American teams in the Club World Cup. Ulsan faced Monterrey (Mexico) in 2012 but lost 1-3. A lot of stories went back and forth even before this confrontation. In particular, the difference in the ransom price between the two teams is about 55 billion won. However, coach Hong Myung-bo said, “The high ransom doesn’t necessarily mean winning football. Soccer is a team sport, and there are variables depending on the day’s condition and relativity. We respect Tigres, but we will show a good image because we are the team that came out as the representative of Asia and the team representing Korea.”
On the other hand, Tigres coach Ricardo Ferretti did not slow down the tension over Ulsan in the first match, even though the goal was to win. When I asked if it was difficult to acquire or analyze information because there were many changes in the team of Ulsan after winning the ACL, “I had no difficulty in finding photos and videos easily these days. We analyzed by referring to both the existing and new players.”
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Nevertheless, when asked for a threatening player, he said, “I respect all players and I don’t think nobody is easy. Korea’s best team and Asian champion. I have personal thoughts, but it is difficult to pinpoint only one person because I respect all of Ulsan.”
Ulsan, ahead of their first match, will compete against South American champion Paumeiras in the semi-finals at 3 am on the 8th when they win. In the event of a loss, the loser against Al Duhail-Al Ahli will play 5/6 place at midnight on the 8th.
Photo = Korea Professional Football Federation, provided by Ulsan Hyundai