By Kim Jae-won
Staff Reporter
Chunnam Dragons' suspended forward Lee Chun-soo is expected to get on the pitch in a K-League Cup match against Incheon United in Gwangyang, Wednesday.
``Lee will play in the game with United,'' Dragons manager Park Hang-seo said.
The former national team striker was suspended for six games and fined 6-million-won ($4400) for his offensive gesture to an assistant referee in the season opener against FC Seoul at home on March 7. The K-League also ordered the 28-year-old to carry the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) fair play flag at home games during the suspension period.
According to Dragons, Lee has trained with his teammates twice a day and stayed with the squad during the suspension.
Lee had his hair shaved to apologize before attending the K-League disciplinary committee last month alongside Dragons coaches Ha Seok-ju and Kim Doh-keun.
Dragons are welcoming the return of Lee. The Southwestern Province-based team has failed to register a victory in the league during his absence ― four draws from the regular season matches and one win and one loss in the cup ― to drop to the bottom of the table with a 0-4-1 record.
Lee graduated from Korean football's elite academy. He joined youth national team when he was 17 in 1998 and debuted in the K-League with Ulsan Tigers in 2002. That season, he was named the Rookie of the Year, scoring seven goals and setting up nine in 18 appearances, which helped him make the national team for the 2002 World Cup.
He moved to Spain's La Liga with Real Sociedad in 2003 and joined Numancia the following year, then was released in 2005.
He returned to the Tigers and revived his career in 2005 and was named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) that season.
The Korea University standout transferred to Feyenoord in the Dutch league in August 2007, but returned to the K-League to Suwon BlueWings in July 2008 after a lackluster stint in the Netherlands ― no goals in 12 appearances.
After failing to adjust in his home country with BlueWings in 2008, Lee joined Dragons in February.