Local media in the U.K. introduced what Park Ji-sung (42), the technical director of Jeonbuk Hyundai, has been up to recently. Manchester United fans still seem to remember his dedication to the team.
Manchester City defeated the Urawa Reds (Japan) 3-0 in the 2023 FIFA Club semifinals at King Abdullah Sports City in Jida, Saudi Arabia on the 20th (Korea time).
Now, Manchester City will compete with South American champion Fluminensee of Brazil in the final on the 23rd. Fluminensee advanced to the final after beating African champion Al Ahli of Egypt.
Manchester City started with a 3-5-2 formation. Matheus Nunes-Bernardu Silva was the striker and Jack Grealish-Mateo Kovacic-Rodri-John Stones-Phil Foden was in the midfield. Nathan Ake-Manuel Akanji-Kyle Walker had a four-back and Ederson kept the goal.
It was a starting lineup without a single member who could be called a professional striker. Kevin De Bruyne, who had just returned to training, and Erling Holan and Jeremy Doku were completely absent from the roster. 에볼루션 바카라사이트
However, Manchester City took the lead with Marius Höbrotten’s own goal, and Kovacic scored consecutive goals in the 7th minute of the second half and Silva in the 14th minute of the second half.
Manchester City won the Premier League, the UEFA Champions League, and the FA Cup last season, achieving its first historic treble. In August, it beat Europa winner Seville to win the UEFA Super Cup, and is on the verge of a Club World Cup trophy. Manchester City said on its official channel, “Now we have only one game left until the first English club to win five trophies in a year.”
Last time a team based in Manchester, the U.K., won a club World Cup was in 2008. Manchester United, led by Alex Ferguson, won the title by beating LDU Quito of Ecuador 1-0.
Since then, Premier League teams have often won club World Cups. Liverpool F.C. in 2019 and Chelsea F.C. in 2021. However, it is the first time in 15 years that a Manchester team is aiming to win a championship. British media “Planet Football” reported on Tuesday how the 2008 Club World Cup winners have been.
At the time, United put Dimitar Berbatov-Wayne Rooney as their striker in a 4-4-2 formation and Cristiano Ronaldo, Michael Carrick, Andersson and Park Ji-sung in the midfield. Patrice Evra-Rio Ferdinand-Nemanja Vidic-Hafael stood in defense and Edwin van der Sar defended the goal.
Park, who joined Manchester United in July 2005 and became Korea’s first Premier Leaguer, played until July 2012. He scored 28 goals and 29 assists in 204 official matches. Park won the title four times in the Premier League, one time in the UEFA Champions League, and three times in the Cup.
“Park Ji-sung played for Manchester United for seven years before joining the Queens Park Rangers (QPR) in 2012. However, injury problems plagued him in London as well,” Planet Football reported. “After taking off his football boots in 2014, he studied at De Montfort University in Leicester and received master’s degrees in business, law and sports humanities.”
“In December 2021, Park Ji-sung rejoined QPR and coached the U-16 team, but now he has returned to Korea and become the technical director of Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors. Manchester United fans are still idolizing this persistent Korean,” the media said, introducing that Manchester United fans still miss him.
Meanwhile, the media spoke of Jonny Evans, who returned to Manchester United after leaving relegation Leicester City ahead of this season, saying, “Evans, who left Manchester United in 2015, found his best form and played impressively for West Bromwich Albion and Leicester.
He played more than 100 games for Leicester, helping them win their first FA Cup in club history. Not many expected his return to Manchester United. And few expected him to play a significant role at the age of 35. But this really happened.”
There was also an interesting comment on Gary Neville. The media described Neville’s frequent appearances as a commentator and expert on Sky Sports in the U.K., saying, “Neville? If the television is at home, you have no choice but to look at his face.”