Team K League not backing down against Man City in friendly: coach

Seoul, Aug. 4 (Yonhap) -- The head coach of Team K League, Chung Jung-yong, stated that his All-Star squad will not back down against Premier League giants Manchester City in their upcoming friendly match, set to take place at Seoul World Cup Stadium on Wednesday at 8 p.m. This will be the first of two matches for the fifth annual Coupang Play Series, with Manchester City also scheduled to play Spanish club Atletico Madrid on Sunday.

The reigning K League 1 champions, Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, are represented by Chung, who will manage 24 All-Stars, a blend of homegrown talent and foreign-born stars. Despite some key absences following the World Cup, Manchester City will be the favorites in the match, as a preseason contest for the English side but a midseason one for Team K League, with all members having played recently.

Chung expressed gratitude for the opportunity to play against a world-class club and acknowledged that City will likely be aggressive, particularly their younger players. He emphasized the need for hard pressing on defense and plans to let his All-Stars play freely within basic frameworks offensively. Players Lee Dong-gyeong and Stefan Mugosa, along with their coaches, expressed excitement and pride in participating in the match, with Mugosa noting the responsibility of representing his name, family, and the K League.