Ki Sung-yueng and Lee Gi-hyuk are among the stars ready to represent the K-League against Manchester City on Wednesday
Ki Sung-yueng and Lee Gi-hyuk are among the stars ready to represent the K-League against Manchester City on Wednesday(Image: Getty Images)
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After a successful first stop in Hong Kong, Manchester City's pre-season tour rolls into South Korea for its final stint. The Sangam Stadium in Seoul will host the final two matches of pre-season, beginning on Wednesday as the Blues face a K-League XI. The concept of an 'all-stars' team is a novelty in England and automatically draws comparisons to the United States.
Many City fans will anticipate this game to be the Blues' 'easiest' of pre-season. According to Global Football Rankings, K-League 1, Korea's top division, is ranked 35th in the world, placing them just above the Saudi Pro League and below French Ligue 2 and the Scottish Premiership.
On paper, it should be a City win. "There's not any way you can compare the guys," K-League expert Ross Davis told the Manchester Evening News. "But there is the conditions [to consider] as well. So it will be really hot, really humid, really difficult for the mindset of the players. We saw Harry Kane vomit during Antonio Conte's training when he was over here.