Kompaño returns to Jeonbuk Hyundai.
Jeonbuk will face FC Anyang, a 'promoted team,' at the Anyang Sports Complex on the 30th for the sixth round of the Hana Bank K League 1 2025.
Jeonbuk and Anyang had about two weeks of restructuring during the international break due to the 2026 North and Central America World Cup Asian qualifiers.
After five matches, Jeonbuk has one win, two draws, and two losses, placing them 10th with 5 points. Anyang (2 wins, 3 losses, 6 points) is currently ranked 9th, one spot above.
Jeonbuk is currently in a winless streak for the last four matches.
Jeonbuk, which has brought in Gus Poyet, a former Premier League manager, shouting 'rebuilding a prestigious club,' announced a good start by defeating Gimcheon Sangmu 2-1 in their K League 1 opener. However, they have not added any victories since then.
Before the match, Poyet met with reporters and said, "I have told the players many times that they need to allow fewer goals from the first match of the season. So, while I haven't specifically asked the players for anything because our recent goals conceded have increased, I have focused on training with a defensive mindset."
He added, "While the value of the Jeonbuk players is higher than that of the Anyang squad, I don't think there is a significant gap between the teams based on the data. There are many areas where we need to improve, but I will trust the players' performance and play the match."
Kompaño, who had a minor injury, is included in the substitute list. Poyet explained, "His return itself holds significant meaning. He plays a large part in our team. Therefore, it was difficult to make the decision to leave him out of the starting lineup, but as the season is long, we included him in today's bench list."
He said, "It looks like Kompaño will play around 30-35 minutes, but it may change depending on the game situation."
Jeonbuk aims to climb into the mid-table. Poyet noted, "Jeonbuk has been on a downward trend for the past 18 months. Usually, clubs change managers to turn things around. However, if there is no change in the team despite the manager's change, this can continue to have a negative psychological effect on the existing players, which may prevent the club from positively changing. If the unfavorable situation continues, it will create an environment where the players feel burdened, and football is a sport that must go hand in hand with pressure. For now, I believe Jeonbuk is in a process of overcoming that pressure. The players may find it challenging. They may not be able to fully demonstrate their abilities. We must break this bad trend as quickly as possible."
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