Jeonbuk Motors vs Ulsan Hyundai

Jeonju World Cup Stadium sets the stage for an all-Korean AFC Champions League quarter-final tie between Jeonbuk Motors and Ulsan Hyundai.

Jeonbuk navigated an intense Champions League last-16 tie against fellow K1 League rivals Pohang Steelers 3-1 on aggregate, largely thanks to a 2-0 first-leg win at home. Those fixtures form part of Jeonbuk’s three-game unbeaten competitive start to 2024, yet back-to-back 1-1 draws, including the one against Daejeon at the weekend, don’t inspire much confidence. As if that’s not troubling enough, the Warriors have lost their last two encounters against Ulsan by an identical 1-0 scoreline, casting doubt on their bid to reach the semi-finals for the second season on the trot. However, Dan Petrescu’s men have excelled at home in the Champions League in 2023/24, winning all four matches by a combined score of 10-3 while scoring multiple goals on each occasion.

On the other hand, Ulsan Hyundai proved too hot to handle for Japanese outfit Kofu in the previous Champions League knockout round, winning both legs via an aggregate score of 5-1, advancing into the quarter-finals for the third time in four seasons. Optimism must be at an all-time high around the traveling camp, knowing they’ve never lost a quarter-final tie in the Champions League. Adding to their confidence, they resumed K1 League action with a 1-0 home win against Pohang, making it six unbeaten matches on the spin across all competitions (W5, D1). The only concern might derive from Ulsan’s underwhelming away form in continental action, with the Tigers blowing hot and cold across their four Champions League travels this term (W2, L2).