"I knew the difference from Alhilal," coach Lee Jung-hyo laughs despite the 0-7 defeat... Passion feedback that made Lee Kang-hyun 'Ting' "Gwangju has no choice but to grow."

"I knew the difference from Alhilal," coach Lee Jung-hyo laughs despite the 0-7 defeat... Passion feedback that made Lee Kang-hyun 'Ting' "Gwangju has no choice but to grow."

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Although he may have bowed his head for a while, it never bends. Rather, he even looks excited that he has learned one more thing. Lee Kang-hyun (27, Gwangju FC) unveiled passionate feedback from coach Lee Jung-hyo.

Gwangju FC lost 0-7 to Al Hilal in the quarterfinals of the AFC Champions League Elite (ACLE) in the 2024-2025 season at Jeddah King Abdullah Sports City Stadium in Saudi Arabia on the 26th (Korea Standard Time).

It was a crushing defeat with a gap of seven goals. Coach Lee Jung-hyo and Gwangju, who became the first K-League citizens to advance to the quarterfinals at the Asian soccer finals, have come to an end unfortunately.

There was a clear gap between the two. Al Hilal was very powerful, with star players including Sergei Milinkovic, Hoobeng Neves, João Cancelo, Aleksandar Mitrovic, Malcolm, Henang Rosie, Yasin Bunu and Kalidou Koulibaly. The strategy that the Portuguese coach Jorge Jesús mentioned was impeccable.

Gwangju, which had vowed not to back down even in the weight class, allowed Milinkovic Savic to score the first goal six minutes into the game. He then conceded two more goals by the 33rd minute of the first half, and allowed four more goals in the second half alone due to regrettable mistakes. Gwangju's applaudable challenge eventually hit the wall of reality.

There was also a scene that was regrettable after the game. Jesus refused Lee Jeong-hyo's handshake with him, which he approached first after the whistle. Instead of accepting the handshake given by his boss, Jesus made a gesture that seemed to ask him to make more noise with his hands. In fact, he said at an official press conference, "Gwangju is by no means a weak team. The players also praised their spirit of fair play, but it certainly did not look good.

Coach Lee Jung-hyo also made a rather rash remark, perhaps because he thought too much about the players who must have felt the pressure. "I don't know exactly what the situation is, but I think there is a misunderstanding. But I don't want to pay attention," he said, adding, "It's okay because I'm not going to watch it anyway."

Of course, Gwangju's fighting spirit did not collapse, regardless of the small noise. "The players must have had a hard time, but I want to commend them for doing their best to the end. The ACLE competition has come to an end, but I hope they will nourish today's game and make more efforts. Don't doubt their performance, and if they invest more time, they will be able to get back on their feet. Above all, our players worked hard, and I'm satisfied because I played without injury," he said, encouraging the players.

Rather, he used the loss as an opportunity for his growth. "It's okay. Whether it's 0-7 or 0-10, it's enough if the players have something to learn," Lee said. "It must have been a great motivation for the players," Lee said. "I've also got a sense of humor and a desire to beat a strong team one day. I hope today's game will nourish the players greatly. I want to say, "Don't be discouraged! It's okay."

Lee Jung-hyo's resolution did not end in simple words. Gwangju midfielder Lee Kang-hyun shared an anecdote with Lee Jung-hyo through his blog. He said, "I woke up because the Kakao Talk notification kept ringing, but the manager sent me a Kakao Talk message. I think I need to rest after coming back from Saudi Arabia. You are constantly sending me various videos and feedbacks. The Kakao Talk keeps ringing," he said, sharing the message he received from Lee Jung-hyo.

When looking back on the Al Hilal match, coach Lee Jung-hyo looked excited as if he were a child. He praised Neves and Cancelo's performance and said he realized the difference between them and Lee Kang-hyun. Maybe a message was not enough. He even called himself, saying, "This needs an explanation." 메이저놀이터

Lee Kang-hyun also proudly wrote, "Thanks to the coach's passion, our players have no choice but to grow, and our Gwangju FC has no choice but to grow. The coach always says that he grows because of us. This is the system of Gwangju FC and pride."