Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Seoul: Lee Jae-sung will leave Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors in the K League 1 to join Holstein Kiel in the 2. Bundesliga, ending a four and a half years stint that saw him claim the Best Young Player honours in 2015 and MVP in 2017, while winning three domestic titles across four seasons.
On his way to a second division German club, Lee said he's determined to prove he's made the right choice.
"I've always dreamt of playing overseas, and I felt I was at a point where I needed a challenge in my career," Lee said in a video message released by Jeonbuk. "I wanted to test myself against foreign players."
Lee said he made "an extremely difficult decision" to leave Jeonbuk and added he has nothing but fond memories from his time with the K League 1 club.
"I know I've chosen to go down a difficult path," Lee added. "I'll try to compete with the pride of a K League MVP and prove that I've made the right move."
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Tehran: Persepolis will be the team to beat in the Iran Pro League 2018-19 season which kicks off on Thursday.
Tehran-based Persepolis are the most successful club in the Islamic Republic of Iran, having won 11 league titles. The Red Army picked up the Iranian Super Cup last week after clinching their fourth Pro League title ahead of second placed Zobahan with Esteghlal and Saipa third and fourth respectively.
Branko Ivankovic's side will now be aiming to secure a hat-trick of league titles, a feat only achieved by Sepahan during their 2009-10, 2010-11, 2011-12 run.
"This is the third year already that we have been on top of the league which is hard to do because one of the hardest things is to achieve continuity, maintain this level of focus and concentration," Ivankovic said.
"The key to success is mainly hard work. There is no success without hard and persistent work.
The league champions open their title defence against Padideh at the Samen Stadium, while Zobahan travel to Nassaji Mazandaran and Esteghlal play Paykan at home on Friday.
In the AFC Champions League quarter-final first leg, Persepolis will face Qatar's Al Duhail on August 28 while Esteghlal take on another Qatari club Al Sadd on August 27.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Kuala Lumpur: 14 players from five nations represented the 2018 AFC Champions League quarter-finalists at the World Cup. The-AFC.com reviews their performances in Russia.
An Islamic Republic of Iran side featuring seven players plying their trade at Esteghlal, Persepolis and Al Sadd impressed in the World Cup despite exiting at the group stage. Korea Republic stunned reigning champions Germany with two Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors players on the pitch and a third on the bench.
Kashima Antlers’ pair Gen Shoji and Naomichi Ueda reached the Round of 16 with Japan, but Tianjin Quanjian’s Axel Witsel was the AFC Champions League quarter-finalist to go furthest in Russia, helping his Belgium side to a historic third-place finish. Samsung Suwon Bluewings' Matthew Jurman wasn’t as fortunate as his Australia team were eliminated at the group stage.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Suwon: Korea Republic’s Suwon Samsung Bluewings have bolstered their squad by signing Han Eui-kwon, Park Jong-woo and Elvis Saric ahead of the 2018 AFC Champions League quarter-finals.
Forward Han (pictured above) , 24, began his youth career with Daejeon Citizen in 2013 and had a short stint with Gyeongnam FC a year later, before returning to the Daejeon-based club in July 2015.
Park will bring in a wealth of international experience, having played with Chinese Super League’s Guangzhou R&F, as well as in the United Arab Emirates with Al Jazira and Emirates Club.