Despite Being a Friendly Event Match, a Total of 9 Goals Scored by Both Teams
Past Juventus and Barcelona Visits to Korea Caused Controversy
On the 13th, Tottenham players share their joy during the first match of the Coupang Play Series, a friendly game between Team K League and England Premier League's Tottenham Hotspur, held at Seoul World Cup Stadium in Mapo-gu, Seoul. Photo by Moon Honam munonam@
[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Kim Gun-chan] In the first European club visit match held in three years, Tottenham showcased a level of play and fan service that met the expectations of Korean football fans. However, scheduling issues still appear to be a challenge that needs to be resolved. There is a perspective that appropriate rest must be guaranteed for the players.
On the 13th, Tottenham defeated Team K League 6-3 in the 'Coupang Series' match held at Seoul World Cup Stadium. On that day, Son Heung-min and Harry Kane became the main contributors to the victory by scoring multiple goals.
This was the first visit match by a top European club in three years. Although the match between Tottenham and Team K League, composed of K League All-Stars, was an exhibition friendly, both teams gave their best, displaying a level of play that delighted the fans. The approximately 64,000 fans who attended the match expressed satisfaction with the thrilling game that saw a total of nine goals scored by both teams combined.
At the post-match press conference, Son Heung-min said, "Looking at the stands filled entirely with white, it felt different," adding, "Scoring a goal in Korea as a Tottenham player was special as it might be the first and last time." He continued, "It was fun to play in front of so many fans, and I think I can have a happy night," and "Thanks to the fans, we had an enjoyable game."
This match was sufficient to heal the hearts of Korean football fans who had been disappointed by previous visits of top European clubs. In the past, there were controversies during visits by top European clubs. A representative example is the 2019 visit of Juventus from Italy's Serie A, featuring football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo.
At that time, football fans were excited with the expectation of seeing Ronaldo play in person. However, the Juventus squad arrived after the kickoff time due to traffic congestion, causing the match to be delayed by about an hour. Moreover, Ronaldo, who was expected to participate in the match, did not play even a single minute, drawing criticism from fans. Ronaldo's so-called 'no-show' incident led to a lawsuit, and in the civil lawsuit filed against the event organizer, the court ruled in favor of the spectators.
A similar issue occurred in 2010. Spanish La Liga club Barcelona visited Korea and played the 'Barcelona Invitational K League All-Star Match 2010.' At that time, Barcelona visited with a squad missing most of their key players, causing controversy. Also, Lionel Messi, who was contractually obligated to play at least 30 minutes, only played 15 minutes. In response, the Korea Professional Football League issued an apology, and Barcelona reportedly paid a total of 300,000 euros to the Korean organizer as a penalty for violating the agreement.
This match was different from previous visits. Tottenham's core players such as Son Heung-min, Kane, Pierre-Emile Højbjerg, and Hugo Lloris played for more than 45 minutes. After the match, Tottenham players including head coach Antonio Conte walked around the stadium, waving and greeting the fans.
Kane, who scored two goals and played brilliantly in the match, expressed his gratitude twice to Korean fans through Instagram. On the 10th, Kane wrote, "Received incredible hospitality in Seoul. It's always amazing to see people supporting us from all over the world," and on the 12th, he posted, "It was tough training, but the support from Korean fans was great."
On the 13th, at the Seoul World Cup Stadium in Mapo-gu, Seoul, during the first match of the Coupang Play Series, a friendly game between Team K League and England Premier League's Tottenham Hotspur, Cho Gyu-seong scored a goal and is sharing joy with his teammates. / Photo by Moon Ho-nam munonam@
This Tottenham visit match could serve as a good precedent for top European clubs visiting Korea in the future. However, issues surrounding the scheduling of visit matches are likely to be raised repeatedly.
Top European clubs prepare for the new season by touring several countries in Asia, North America, and elsewhere during the preseason period before the season starts. The only time they can visit Korea to play matches is in July. This is because the professional football seasons differ. The European professional football season follows an autumn-spring schedule, starting in August and ending in May, while the K League follows a spring-autumn schedule, starting in March and ending in November. For a visit match to be arranged, it must be scheduled during July, when the K League is in full swing.
Especially this July was even tighter due to the '2022 EAFF E-1 Championship (East Asian Cup).' Most players called up to Team K League had to play league matches on weekdays and weekends and also participate in the Tottenham visit match. After this match, they have to play K League matches again on the weekend. Ultimately, the players' physical burden inevitably increases, which is why there are criticisms that the match schedule does not consider the K League situation.
As a result, voices openly expressing concerns about the visit match schedule have emerged. Lee Seung-woo of Suwon FC, who returned to the K League this season and scored nine goals, said at a press conference after the match against FC Seoul on the 10th, "There were several occasions where we played a match, rested for a day, stayed at the hotel for training camp, and then played another match the next day," adding, "From a player's perspective, the schedule is somewhat disappointing."
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