K League Preview: The Weakest Hyundai Derby in Recent Years? Jeonbuk Introduces Andriyevskiy as an Emergency Reinforcement, Ulsan Successfully Rotates in Midweek Cup Match

On July 20 at 18:00, the 24th round of the K League, Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors will face off against Ulsan Hyundai.

This match is the 115th “Hyundai Family Derby” in K League history, but this time around, the “Hyundai Family Derby” has seen a decline in quality. The home team, Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, are currently second from the bottom and have clearly lost their ability to compete with Ulsan for the championship. However, the “Hyundai Family Derby” is always intense, and this match is expected to have plenty of dramatic moments.

The home team, Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, suffered a humiliating 0-4 defeat in their last match against military team Gwangju FC. While the red card changed the course of the game early on, the team’s failure to register a single shot on target extinguished any hopes of a comeback. The team has conceded 43 goals so far, with a defense as fragile as paper, and facing Ulsan, who have scored 40 goals this season, head coach Kim Do-hyun is likely to be sweating profusely.

In terms of personnel, the long-term injury absentee Kwon Chang-hoon remains unavailable. Park Jin-seop, who was sent off in the previous match, is definitely out. The team has signed Andriyevskiy from Chengdu Rongcheng, but it is uncertain whether he will be registered in time, making it unlikely that he will play in this match.

The visiting team, Ulsan Hyundai, made appropriate rotations in the midweek cup match, advancing to the next round in the most efficient manner possible. Acting head coach Lee Kyung-soo has led the team to two consecutive victories.

In the midweek cup match, Ulsan had some good news. New signing Yago made his debut and quickly adapted to the team, allowing center forward Chu Min-kyu to get some rest. Experienced central defender Hwang Seok-ho returned from injury, and the only player still recovering on the backline is Kim Young-gwon. Kim Min-jun, who recently returned from military service, scored a goal and maintained his good form from his time serving in Gwangju FC. This right-footed winger’s return provides a valuable addition to the right flank. Bojanic, who played for a longer duration in the midweek cup match, may sit on the bench for this game, giving new signing Jung Woo-young a chance to start. Ludewigson, who underwent toe surgery, remains unavailable.

Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors have faced Ulsan Hyundai four times this season, with two draws and two losses without a win. In the AFC Champions League, Jeonbuk recorded one draw and one loss, failing to advance to the semifinals. In league matches against Ulsan, they also had one draw and one loss, putting them at a psychological disadvantage.

>>For more predictions and analysis, please click >>>