Ulsan Hyundai bracing for tropical weather during upcoming Asian club championships

SEOUL, June 17 (Yonhap) — Ulsan Hyundai head coach Hong Myung-bo on Thursday expressed his confidence that his team can defend the top annual Asian club football tournament title, noting that tropical weather will be a tough hurdle to his quest.

At the group round of the 2021 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League, Ulsan will compete in the Group F for a spot in the 16-team knockout stage with BG Pathum United FC of Thailand, Viettel FC of Vietnam and the winner of a regional playoff to be determined later.

All of their matches on a double round-robin basis will take place in Bangkok, to minimize travel and reduce COVID-19 infection risks, starting from June 26-July 21.

“My team might be better than other clubs from an objective point of view, but two other Southeast Asian teams are familiar with the weather and the environment of the venue,” Hong said in an online…