Pohang Steelers officially announced on the 10th through the club's official SNS account, "Player Oberdan suffered a rupture of the medial ligament of his left knee during the match against Suwon in the 33rd round of 'Hana One Q K League 1 2023'."

Pohang was defeated 0-1 by Kim Joo-chan in the 22nd minute of the first half in the away game against Suwon Samsung in the 33rd round of the 'Hana One Q K League 1 2023' held at Suwon World Cup Stadium on the 8th.

Pohang, who is competing fiercely for the championship with the 'defending champion' and current league leader Ulsan Hyundai, conceded the first goal in the last round of the regular season with Kim Joo-chan's right-footed mid-range shot and then failed to score an equalizer, conceding three points to Suwon. With the win against Pohang, Suwon achieved its first win under acting coach Yeom Ki-hoon.

As the match between Ulsan and Incheon United held at the same time ended in a 0-0 draw, Pohang, with 58 points (15 wins, 13 draws, 5 losses), did not widen the point gap with Ulsan (67 points, 20 wins, 7 draws, 6 losses). Although they did not give up hope for a come-from-behind victory, the sad news of Oberdan's injury was reported.

Oberdan started as a starter in the match against Suwon, and in the 15th minute of the second half, his left knee was greatly twisted during a collision with Suwon fullback Kim Tae-hwan and he complained of extreme pain. Medical staff were rushed in, and as it was determined that he could not play the game, he was replaced and underwent a detailed examination.

According to the results of the examination, Oberdan fortunately avoided a long-term injury, but the medial ligament of his left knee was torn and recovery was expected to take 6 to 8 weeks. He was effectively ruled out for the season.

In reporting the news of the injury, Pohang said, "It is with great regret that we have to report the news of another injury. The club will do our best to support the player's recovery," and added, "We hope you will join us in supporting Oberdan's recovery." I prayed for Dan’s recovery.

Oberdan's injury is a big blow to Pohang, which is playing a tight schedule. Pohang is not only competing with Ulsan for the championship, but has also advanced to the semifinals of the FA Cup and is scheduled to face Jeju United on November 1 in a one-off match for the final. There are also four more games left in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League (ACL) group stage.

As the team is competing in three competitions in parallel, the departure of Oberdan, who is playing the core of the midfield, is bound to be painful. Brazilian midfielder Oberdan, who was recruited ahead of the 2023 season, started and played full-time in all 32 league games before being sidelined due to injury in the match against Suwon, establishing himself as a key force under Pohang coach Kim Ki-dong.

In addition, in the 'East Coast Derby' against Ulsan in the 32nd round of the league on the 30th of last month, Wandelsson, who has recorded 2 goals and 3 assists in 20 league games this season, was struck in the jaw by Lee Chung-yong's elbow during a ball duel and will need treatment for about 8 weeks. Not long after it was deemed necessary, Oberdan also left due to injury, deepening Coach Kim's concerns.

Pohang, who is currently in the international break in October, must play at least 10 more games after the break, including 5 final round games, the FA Cup semifinals, and 4 ACL group stage games. With Oberdan also leaving following Wandelsson, attention is being paid to how Pohang can overcome the crisis that came at the end of the season.