YONGIN, South Korea — With four points from their opening two matches, Johor Darul Ta’zim have made a fine start to the 2024-25 AFC Champions League Elite campaign.
They sit second among the eight teams in the competition’s East Zone and, on Tuesday, they will face the only team that has performed better than them at the moment.
As tournament debutants, Gwangju FC may not have originally loomed as the most formidable of tests. But after a stunning 7-3 opening win over Yokohama F. Marinos was followed by a 1-0 triumph over fellow ACL regulars Kawasaki Frontale, a trip to face the South Korean upstarts now looks more daunting.
Never mind that concerns over the pitch at Gwangju’s regular homeground means the game will now be played at Yongin Mireu Stadium — over 260 kilometres, and just under a three-hour road journey, away.
Gwangju have been the surprise headline-grabbing act in the ACL Elite thus far but try telling JDT coach Héctor Bidoglio that his side will be the supporting cast on Tuesday.
“We know about Gwangju — they are intense, play as a team, and like to keep the ball and play in the opponent’s (side of the) pitch,” said Bidoglio in Monday’s prematch news conference, when asked by ESPN if it helped that Gwangju were a bit more of a known quantity are their victories over Marinos and Frontale.
“But, most importantly, we must put the focus on ourselves. We also like to keep the ball and have very good players.
“We want to be the protagonists.”
And in their quest to be the ones writing the story on Tuesday, JDT could just unleash a new signing boasting an impressive résumé.
Already boasting a glittering array of imports — with Arif Aiman the only Malaysian born-and-bred player to feature in their opening two ACL Elite ties — JDT unveiled former Real Madrid forward Jesé as their latest ace in the pack back at the start of October.
Due to the recent international break, as well as the fact that the Southern Tigers were not in domestic action in the Malaysia Super League at the weekend, Jesé is yet to make his bow although he did score after coming off the bench in a friendly against Balestier Khalsa.
According to Bidoglio, who did not attempt any mind games surrounding team selection, the Spaniard — who also played for Paris Saint-Germain and in the Premier League with Stoke – could be unleashed.
Jesé is in a very good condition,” added Bidoglio. “He’s a very professional player.
“He has plenty of chance to play tomorrow in the starting XI, but I have one more day to choose the players.”
