The 5th round of the group stage in the AFC Champions League (ACL) 2016 has started. In the previous round, F.C. Tokyo, who beat Jiangsu FC in away game, are currently in the lead. If the team win against Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors in this round, they will book a place in the knockout stage. The coach JOFUKU Hiroshi and YONEMOTO Takuji appeared at a press conference and expressed their enthusiasm to get through the group stage. This article contains some of the comments of both teams at the press conference.

Coach and Players' Comments

JOFUKU Hiroshi, Coach (F.C. Tokyo)
We lost away game against Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors and that team has the most talented players in Korean team. Although we expect a tough match, we will play as hard as possible to earn three points and get through the group stage.

YONEMOTO Takuji (F.C. Tokyo)
We’ll win a home game tomorrow to earn three points and book a place in the knockout stage, in order to avenge our defeat in away game.

CHOI Kang Hee, Coach (Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors)
As we lost the previous game against Becamex Binh Duong in the 4th round of the group stage in the ACL2016, we are determined to win tomorrow’s match. If we lose, we will face a difficult situation. So we’ll do our best to earn a victory.

KIM Bo Kyung (Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors)
Tomorrow’s game is vital. I’ll play hard not only as an individual, but also as part of a united team, so that we can win the match.

Mihailo PETROVIC, Coach (Urawa Reds)
Sydney FC has achieved three consecutive wins after losing to us in the first game of the AFC Champions League. When they played against us, they performed excellently. We think they are strong and expect tomorrow’s game will be extremely tough. Although I’d like to point out that Sydney has almost got through the group stage, we do need to earn points to book a place in the next stage. We must play strongly as a united team. Many people were killed or had to take shelter due to the Kumamoto earthquakes. We’d like to perform well and earn a victory to deliver some good news and encouragement to the people in Kumamoto.

MAKINO Tomoaki (Urawa Reds)
It’s the fifth time I’ve come to Australia. I came to this stadium for the first time, and found that both the facility and the town are excellent. Tomorrow I’d like to perform well in this beautiful city, so that people in Australia will get to know Urawa Reds.

AFC Champions League 2016

27 January 2016 - 26 November 2016

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