Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
How they qualified: Winners – K-League 2011
Established 1994
Nickname Motors
Home stadium Jeonju World Cup Stadium (43,389)
Website www.hyundai-motorsfc.com
Club Honours
AFC Champions League winners 1 – 2006
K-League champions 2 – 2009, 11
Korean FA Cup winners 3 – 2000, 03, 05
Previous ACL appearances
2004 – Semi-finals
2006 – Champions
2007 – Quarter-finals
2010 – Quarter-finals
2011 – Runners-up
Club Profile
They may have been surprise winners of the AFC Champions League in 2006 but Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors were the class of the competition last year as they marched impressively through to the final, scoring 31 goals along the way.
However, despite dominating the match against Al Sadd at their home ground, they stumbled at the final hurdle, losing to the Qatari side in a penalty shootout after a 2-2 draw.
Although the pain of that defeat was soon forgotten as the club captured their second league title in three years with a 4-2 aggregate win over Ulsan Hyundai in the K-League championship final, there is definitely a feeling of unfinished business for Jeonbuk in this year’s competition.
While coach Choi Kang-hee reluctantly left to take charge of the national team, there were no other notable departures during the off-season with all of the 14 players involved in the ill-fated ACL final still with the club including tournament MVP Lee Dong-gook and Brazilian playmaker Eninho.
Indeed the squad has been further strengthened with the recent addition of Korea Republic international midfielder Kim Jung-woo and defender Lee Gang-jin.
Expectations
In what is a group of champions, Jeonbuk are the only side who have previously played in the AFC Champions League. Their experience and the burning desire to make amends for their painful loss in last year’s final should make them favourites to top the group and maintain their record of reaching the knockout stage in every edition of the AFC Champions League that they have competed in.
Coach
Lee Heung-sil
To ensure a sense of continuity following the departure of Choi Kang-hee, Jeonbuk have appointed former assistant coach, Lee Heung-sil, as their caretaker boss. While the 50-year-old has not previously managed a K-League side, he is well attuned to the club and its players after working alongside Choi for the past six years.
Did you know?
Jeonbuk Motors are the only club to have won the AFC Champions League before clinching their first domestic league title. They beat Al Karama of Syria to win the continental title in 2006, three years before they lifted the K-League title for the first time in 2009.
Key Player
Lee Dong-gook
Much maligned during his time at Middlesbrough, Lee Dong-gook has rediscovered his form since joining Jeonbuk in 2009. Named the Most Valuable Player in the K-League in 2009 and 2011 when Jeonbuk won the championship, he also won the AFC Champions League MVP award last year when he netted a tournament-best nine goals.