Coronavirus: We can show the world the strength of the K League, says Hong Jeong-ho | OneFootball

Jeonbuk Motors defender Hong Jeong-ho wants the K League to show the world it has plenty of quality when the season kicks off on Friday.

The defending champions meet Suwon Bluewings behind closed doors in the opening game of the K League 1 campaign, which had been delayed by the coronavirus pandemic.

It is one of the few top leagues in the world to be getting back underway and is likely to attract a greater level of attention given the huge disruption to the 2020 football calendar.

Hong, twice a league winner with Jeonbuk in the past two seasons, wants teams to seize their chance to prove the K League has plenty to offer.

"I really appreciate that we can promote both Korea Republic and the K League," he said via the Asian Football Confederation website.

"We have the chance to let football fans from all around the world know that there are many good players in our country if we perform to our best on the pitch.

"Due to the coronavirus I feel even more grateful that I can play football and I realise the importance of the game and of the fans.

"We have done everything we can to prepare as best as possible for this match and we want to win it for our fans who can't come to the stadium.

"Our team has a lot of fans and I think it will be weird without them there to support us, so we will just need to do our best to focus on the game.

"It will be my first time in an empty stadium and maybe it makes it harder to concentrate, but it will be very important to listen to our team-mates to know what's going on around us."