"Gwangju Neymar" Hayes, "I really wanted to fight Neymar, but he went home" ...ACLE's extraordinary announcement, "Al Hilal? Do you play soccer with your name?"

"Gwangju Neymar" Hayes, "I really wanted to fight Neymar, but he went home" ...ACLE's extraordinary announcement, "Al Hilal? Do you play soccer with your name?"

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Gwangju FC ace Hayes expressed his determination to make a new history on behalf of the K-League by beating the "holy army" Al-Hilal (Saudi Arabia).

Gwangju, led by head coach Lee Jung-hyo, will play against Saudi Arabia's prestigious Al Hilal in the quarterfinals of the AFC Champions League (ACLE) in the 2024-2025 season at 1:30 a.m. on the 26th (Korea Standard Time) at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Gwangju has already made history. Gwangju is the first team that advanced to the ACLE quarterfinals in the K-League. However, he has no intention of being satisfied here. Gwangju's goal is to win the championship.

To win a championship, al-Hilal has to overcome the huge mountain of al-Hilal. Al-Hilal is a reputation of having won the most championships (19 times) in Saudi professional football. It is also the team that won the most championships four times in the ALC.

In recent years, they have attracted star players who are playing in Europe with their oil money. Although not currently available, Neymar who played for Paris Saint-Germain in the summer of 2023 drew attention from all over the world.

At that time, starting with Neymar, Hoobeng Neves, João Neves (Portugal), Kalidou Koulibaly (Senegal), Sergei Milinkovic Savic (Serbia), Yasin Bunu (Morocco), and Malcolm (Brazil) were recruited to increase their power.

In fact, it is a battle between David and Goliath. The difference in compensation for Al-Hilal's players is 180 million euros, and Gwangju's 14.1 billion won, which is 20 times higher.

However, David defeated Goliath. There is no reason why Gwangju cannot do the same. Gwangju is preparing for an extraordinary event in the upcoming ACLE.

Hayes, who met with reporters at the squad hotel in Jeddah on the 21st, was confident that he would show his performance this season at the match against Al Hilal.

Hayes said, "The preparation process is very good. Players are also enjoying every moment. As was the case against FC Seoul in the past, we showed good performances and performances in front of fans. We met Al-Hilal at the biggest Mude in Asia, and we want to show better performances."

"It's been a long journey to Saudi Arabia. It's been a lot longer than the away games we had. "It is true that I am a little tired on two flights," he said. "The accommodation is good, and I am adjusting to the food. I have three to four more days to prepare. In the meantime, I will be able to fully adapt to the weather and the environment," he said. "I have no problem with my condition."

However, the heat in Saudi Arabia was a formidable problem for Hayes, a Brazilian.

"It's my first time in Saudi Arabia," Hayes said. "I was a little surprised as I've been in Korea for a long time. I did the recovery exercise at 6 p.m. on Sunday, and even though the sun was setting, I had difficulty adapting to the humidity," he said. "Fortunately, the game is in the evening, and I have some time to prepare, so the key is to adapt as soon as possible." 안전놀이터

Hayes, who shared Gwangju's promotion to the K League 1 in the 2022 season, played for Jeju United in the 2023 and 2024 seasons, but struggled. Hayes, who had been sluggish for two seasons, returned to Gwangju after being called by coach Lee Jung-hyo ahead of this season, and has regained his confidence and is playing as an ace.