Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors and FC Seoul will encounter each other in the quarter-final of the 2025 Hana Bank Korea Cup at the Seoul world cup stadium; an event that attracts football interest beyond its preview and adherents. The much-hyped match in the upcoming weekend will be closely monitored-seeing that the possibility of rising tempers between the fans of the Seoul team and the unabated revival of the Jeonbuk by its head coach Gus Poyet.
The final meeting of the two iconic K League teams is taking place under different momentum. Jeonbuk travels to the capital on a 17-game unbeaten halo, which represents the incredible renaissance of the club in the middle of the season. The team was playing at a more structured and aggressive style under Poyet thus enabling them to remain competitive during both league and cup matches.
In contrast, FC Seoul is grappling with internal unrest. Although they recently won a convincing match of 4-1 against Pohang Steelers in the league, the atmosphere in the stands is still unstable. Fans have been protesting since the controversial exit of one of its legends Ki Sung-yueng. The fury rose last week when irate fans caused a hold-up as the team tried to leave the stadium, encircling the bus and seeking redress on management and coaching personnel of the club.
Another tension was also added by chanting calling the resignation of manager Kim Gi-dong, a call that has now been channeled into this calendar Korea Cup showdown. Their preparation has not been rosy despite the home support in Seoul.
Meanwhile, Jeonbuk appears focused and composed. Now in possession of a successfully rotated squad, as the man to manage the squad at Sunderland, Poyet, the team is in a good position to tackle the midweek cup fixtures as well as league requirements. When the two teams clashed in their last league encounter on June 21, they produced a thriller as they were tied 1-1 with Jeonbuk scoring in the final moments of stoppage-time.
Confirmed Lineups Reflect Tactical Differences
Since the beginning of the game, FC Seoul will play in what is considered a classic 4-3-3 system. Their front three, who are named internationally Jessie Lingard, Duks and Lucas, are the ones to crack the organized defense of Jeonbuk. In the middle, Jeong Seung-won, Ryu Jae-moon and Hwang Do-yun will be the core of the team and the defenders will include Kim Jin-soo, Yazan, Kim Joo-sung and Park Su-il. Kang Hyun-moo will start as goalkeeper.
In Jeonbuk starting eleven can be seen a more fluid style of defense showing 3-4-3 formation. In the attack, Thiago, Lee Seung-woo and Jeon Jin-woo are up front, their midfield penetrating with Kang Sang-yun and Lee Young-jae, with Kim Tae-hwan and Kim Tae-hyun acting as wing-backs. They have Kim Young-bin, Park Jin-seob and Yeon Je-woon as fighters and Kim Jeong-hoon playing goalkeeper.
Other Quarterfinal Matches Also Set the Stage
Although the wave of attention is on Jeonbuck-Seoul match, three other Korea Cup quarter finals are taking place at the same time. Ulsan Hyundai will play against Gwangju FC, Daegu FC will fight with Jinju FC, and Gimpo FC will go against Bucheon FC. Albeit less dramatic to the general spectator, these games have their competitive interest in it as well with teams struggling to gain a place in a semifinal.
Looking Beyond the Pitch
The current scenario about FC Seoul has raised a larger concern among the spectators of leagues as well as the football fraternity of Korea. The incident that accompanied the move of Ki Sung-yueng has built a negative relationship with not only customers but also the club itself. Manager Kim Gi-dong, who returned behind the dug-out with the pressure is increasing to win both domestic and cup competitions, and any other failure to go to the next round will serve to fuel even more trouble in this club.
On the contrary, current form of the Jeonbuk has healed the confidence of their fans. And they are well-placed to win trophies already having reversed a dismal first-half to the season. Winning against Seoul would not only be an effective step towards Korean cup but would also act as a stepping stone in the “comeback trail.”
The quarterfinal match will not be another knock-out match as the teams go into the field. It is a sign of two clubs moving in opposite directions, one is striving to redeem itself and the other is just in a sea of dissatisfaction.
