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MEIJI YASUDA J1 LEAGUE 2nd Sec.
2025.2.22(Sat) 15:00 KICK OFF

vs.Avispa Fukuoka

Panasonic Stadium Suita

DAZN to watch the match

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2025.2.21［TEAM］

[Preview] Gamba's resilience and correction ability are being put to the test. With the disappointment of the opening game in mind, Gamba will go for their first win of the season at home.

Gamba suffered a bitter defeat in the opening match, which was set on the best stage, the Osaka Derby. "We didn't get any results, and it ended up being a disappointing result for everyone involved with Gamba. The match against Fukuoka will be a chance to show how we have corrected things since then." Ravi, who scored his first league goal in the opening match, spoke of the disappointment that everyone on the team felt, as well as his new determination.

This season, not only did they lack coordination in the high press that was newly tried under Head Coach Poyatos, but they also conceded goals in a drawn-out game, but the areas they need to fix are clear. "Everything went in the wrong direction, so we'll fix it and take on the next challenge. We want to learn from that experience and do what we need to do," Nakatani said emphatically.

Gamba's direction in the match against Fukuoka will remain unchanged, but they will need to adapt their fighting style to suit the opponent's moves.
In order to better utilize the individual strengths of the front line attackers, it would be ideal to steal the ball in high positions and attack quickly, but it is unclear how Fukuoka will play as this is only the second official match since the new Head Coach took office. As Ichimori said, "It is important to immediately understand the opponent's method," so blindly trying to steal the ball in high positions is a no-no.
Head Coach Poyatos is wary of Fukuoka's new style, saying "there has been a big change in how they want to keep the ball, including in the build-up," but if they can stay compact and not stretch out too much, they should be able to regain their ability to win second balls and the aggressiveness they showed last season around the ball.

"We were able to share our weaknesses. I want to show that in the match against Fukuoka," said Kurata, who is clever on both offense and defense. The number 10, who knows the pride of Gamba, will surely send a message to the team with his back while maintaining a balance between offense and defense.

Fukuoka's Head Coach , Hasebe, who had led the team for five years, has stepped down. Head Coach Kim, who was assistant head coach at Machida until last season, has taken over this season and is working on building a new style of play. Fukuoka will be eager to get back on track after losing their opening home game to Kashiwa 0-1.
In the match against Kashiwa, Fukuoka showed tenacious defense based on their style from last season, and it is natural that against Gamba they will not only aim to retain the ball, but will also come at them with sharp counterattacks.
While they will need to be careful of the individual foreign attackers such as WELLINGTON Luis De Sousa and Shahab Zahedi, who have caused Gamba trouble in the past, the key will be to contain Konno, who will likely be matched up against Kurokawa. "Konno has always been a key player for Fukuoka, so I have to keep him in check, but on the other hand, I can exploit his defense, so I want to compete on offense," said Kurokawa, eager to face off against his classmate.

"We know the importance of this match and the second match will be played at home. We want to come together as a team, help each other and strive for victory," said Ravi.
Gamba will take on the first three consecutive games of the season, starting with the match against Fukuoka. Head Coach Poyatos is confident in the team's overall strength, saying, "I want to believe in the players I have now and fight with all my might together."
All they need is three points. It's time for Gamba to show their true potential.

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