Daejeon Hana Citizen loved a vastly profitable 2025 Hana Financial institution Okay League 1 season, ending second to qualify for the AFC Champions League Elite and setting new membership information.
What Went Properly
Daejeon completed as runners-up and certified for the AFC Champions League Elite, so rather a lot went properly for the Purples. They discovered a dependable goalscorer in Joo Min-kyu, they remained largely constant all through the season with no main slumps in kind, they usually had a great break up between their variety of house wins (10) and away wins (18).
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It was a milestone 12 months for Citizen, runners-up marks the membership’s best-ever end, and because the introduction of the break up system in 2012, Daejeon had by no means completed within the high half of Okay League 1. The membership have additionally certified for the AFC Champions League by way of league positioning for the primary time. A complete of 65 factors matches the membership’s finest at Okay League 1 stage, and 18 wins additionally matches Citizen’s file, however each had been set in 2003 in a 44-game season. This implies Daejeon have set new factors per sport and win proportion information of 1.71 factors and 47.4%, respectively.
Recruitment could be considered successful, too; the summer season window particularly, with precisely the suitable form of gamers introduced in: a near-enough like-for-like alternative for the injured Victor Bobsin, a proper winger to switch Yoon Do-young in Joao Victor, a high class left again to switch the injured Park Kyu-hyun in Lee Myung-jae, and one other ahead who might make an affect in Hernandes Rodrigues.
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What Did not Go Properly
Daejeon struggled to maintain clear sheets and typically lived a bit dangerously. They’ve top-of-the-line goalkeepers within the league in Lee Chang-geun, and he constantly proves how good he’s as a result of he is stored busy. 9 cleansheets was solely sufficient for joint eighth (with Eleventh-placed Jeju), with Gangwon and Jeonbuk main the best way in that regard with 15.
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Daejeon had been the very best of the remaining, probably the most in-form workforce amongst all who dared to problem Jeonbuk, however as soon as the Purples fell off high spot, they by no means appeared like returning. It is uncharted territory for the membership and for lots of the gamers, however they had been simply unable to pose Jeonbuk any issues, shedding to the Inexperienced Warriors 3 times from the 4 conferences and taking one mere level from them.
Younger Participant of the 12 months
Daejeon did not actually have a go-to U22 participant this season, with a number of completely different kids tried after Yoon Do-young left. A 17-year-old winger, Kim Hyeon-oh, scored on his debut, however completed the season being hooked after quarter-hour. Attacking midfielder Lee Jun-gyu largely got here off the bench to assist facilitate a fifth sub however was nonetheless in a position to make 19 appearances, whereas central midfielder Kim Han-seo received 10 appearances and made probably the most passes amongst any U22 participant on the membership. Kim Han-seo appeared probably the most mature of all of them, and nearer to the completed article together with his tidy passing and good imaginative and prescient, however has since joined Okay League 2 newcomers Yongin FC on mortgage now that the U22 rule has been scrapped within the high flight.
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Group MVP
Yearly, this has gone to goalkeeper Lee Chang-geun however Joo Min-kyu breaks that custom this season, providing some perception maybe into the shift away from relegation worries to high six ambition. Joo was Daejeon’s high scorer with a really wholesome 14 with three assists. He completed simply three objectives shy of the Golden Boot winner Pablo Sabbag, and maybe might have added to his tally had it not been for a shoulder harm curbing his marketing campaign.
As any high marksman does, Joo scored loads of necessary objectives: winners in opposition to Suwon FC, Ulsan, Gangwon, and Daegu, in addition to objectives in tight video games that, with out them, would have meant factors dropped. Briefly, together with match winners, Joo Min-kyu’s objectives and assists had been the distinction in Daejeon incomes 16 factors extra.
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Honourable mentions should additionally go to Daejeon’s two entrants within the 2025 Okay League 1 Finest XI, full backs Lee Myung-jae and Kim Moon-hwan, and Masatoshi Ishida, whose fall kind helped get Daejeon over the road.
Most Disappointing Participant
Jeong Jae-hee had, except for an injury-shortened 2023, productive seasons for Pohang with 26 objectives and eight assists throughout 92 appearances. However the suitable winger by no means appeared to get getting in Daejeon colors. He started the season not totally match and appeared to play catch-up all through the marketing campaign, and was absent from the match-day squad 12 instances. Of his 24 appearances, solely two had been begins, and he did not final the complete 90 in both of these video games. With competitors for locations considerably excessive at Daejeon, Jeong might go away for pastures new in 2026, however no matter the place the 31-year-old finally ends up, he’ll want a full pre-season to keep away from a repeat of 2025.
Most Vital Determination of the Off-Season
Daejeon must trim their squad however add high quality with a view to compete on three fronts subsequent 12 months. There are at the moment 4 left backs on the membership’s books and three proper backs, and with Gustav Ludwigson and Um Received-sang arriving from Ulsan, one or two too many wingers. They should have a severe rethink about their recruitment coverage as a result of, whereas high quality gamers got here in throughout this summer season and final, sustaining squad concord is simply going to develop into tougher with extra arrivals.
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Daejeon additionally must correctly change techniques coach Yoshida Tatsuma, the person stated to be the brains behind the system used final 12 months that noticed a exceptional turnaround to keep away from relegation, and a tweaked model this 12 months that, finally, led to the runners-up end. Hwang Solar-hong fought to maintain the Japanese former Kashiwa Reysol supervisor, however he has returned to J.League with Kyoto Sanga. A coach with an identical CV is who they’re after to switch Tatsuma, however this appointment may very well be make or break for Hwang as, on the floor, he has rebuilt his profession and, to a sure extent, his status at Daejeon.