Match Preview
From the 2023 season, the popular "mechacomic" from the AO-AKA PARK online project will be featured in the FANZONE! The "MATCH PREVIEW & INTERVIEW" delivered the day before the match will now be distributed as "MATCH PREVIEW & INTERVIEW supported by mechacomic", and the "Review of the Previous Match" project will include "mechacomic". Please enjoy the collaboration between mechacomic and FANZONE!
The 30th season of the J-League begins. Yokohama F.Marinos welcomes Teruhito NAKAGAWA from Sagan Tosu, Kei KOIZUMI from Fagiano Okayama, Shuhei TOKUMOTO from Brazil's Chapecoense, and PEROTTI. In addition, two college graduates and five high school graduates rookies have also joined. In the second year of the Albert PUIG ORTONEDA era, they have been working on continuing and evolving their positional play, where they possess the ball themselves, since last season.
The theme is to break through the opponent's defense in the attacking third and open up a path to the goal. In the preseason, we have been trying out a new attacking pattern that utilizes the space on both sides of the penalty area to connect to shots. The coach also feels a sense of accomplishment, saying that the team is progressing smoothly in a good direction.
What makes Tokyo even more confident is the energetic presence of Diego OLIVEIRA. Last season, he was troubled by pain in his hip joint, but now he shows a smile saying, "I can practice and play without any pain." Not only fans and supporters, but also himself is looking forward to the full recovery of the ace with overwhelming power and speed. He also says, "I think everyone knows that the previous Diego will come back" and is eagerly awaiting the opening game.
Among the new recruits, Nakagawa and Koizumi quickly fit into the team and have shown a strong presence. In addition, the expectations for young players, led by second-year player Matsuki Kuryu, are higher than ever before. High school rookies such as Naoki Kumata, Kota Tawaratsumida, and Yuta Arai have continued to make strong appeals during the preseason period and have shown a proactive attitude in trying to absorb as much as possible from their seniors. It will be important for them to threaten the positions of the key players in order to compete in the long season.
As expectations rise, we welcome the opening match against Urawa Reds. Urawa has appointed Maciej SKORZA, who has won the Polish league four times, as their coach this season. Shinzo KOROKI returns from Sapporo and they have acquired Marius HOIBRATEN, a Norwegian defender. The new coach has a more aggressive style, placing more emphasis on attacking, and it will be crucial for Tokyo to maintain possession and take control of the game.
Manager Albert PUIG ORTONEDA says, "We want to continue our style and fight for victory." Captain Masato MORISHIGE, in his 18th year as a professional, also states, "Our biggest enemy is ourselves." The determination to stick to our own style will not change this season. In this memorable season, what kind of football will Tokyo display on the pitch? The first match will kick off to show us.
[Albert PUIG ORTONEDA Interview]
Q: It has been 6 weeks since the start date. How do you assess the team's situation?
A: We were able to spend the preseason in good shape. Of course, even if you have a good feeling, football is a game where you can still lose, but that feeling is important. However, since various factors intertwine in each match, I believe each game is a different world. The team is currently growing well. The new players have quickly integrated into the team, and the young newcomers are also contributing well by being involved in the competition for positions, helping to maintain a balanced strength within the team. Of course, the path to further improving our completeness is still steep. As I have mentioned before, what I want to aim for this season is to thoroughly build on last season’s foundation and firmly connect it to victories. I want to establish FC Tokyo’s unique style and link it to winning. Rather than imitating other clubs’ styles, I want to establish Tokyo’s own style. And I want to pursue this while being conscious that the ball itself is the main character.
Q: I think we were able to play the game aggressively, advancing with our own style of soccer, regardless of the opponent, during the practice matches at the training camp.
A: We aim to level up our attacking play even further compared to last season. Of course, we want to develop into a team that can press the opponent effectively, but we also expect to break through by connecting short passes and delivering through balls into spaces behind the defense. We want to become a team that excels at high pressing, and we also want to make quick transitions between offense and defense after winning the ball a key weapon. Naturally, we want to maintain high ball possession and create numerical advantages near the ball carrier. However, we want to combine close control with timely runs into space. What I want to say is that we aim to elevate various elements and establish a unique Tokyo style.
Q: Who are you expecting among the players?
A: A positive aspect for the team this season is that the players' levels are evenly matched, making it difficult to set priorities.
Q: Are players strongly encouraged to prioritize winning the upcoming match, and is it because they want them to have a strong desire to win?
A: The premise is that we want to focus on each and every match. However, I do not possess any magic that would allow the team to suddenly transform within 24 hours to achieve that. This club has a history spanning over 20 years. Despite this long history, we have yet to win the league title. We feel that we are on the right path to aim for that goal. The reason we want to focus on winning each match is because, for example, if I say we are aiming for the league championship as many expect, and then we lose the opening match and Sec. 2 consecutively, there is a risk of easily making people nervous, wondering, "How can this happen when you said we were aiming for the title?" On the other hand, if we grow into a club with the financial scale to finish in the top three, and strengthen the team by adding five or six new starters, then more than 40,000 fans and supporters would fill the stadium at every home game. Also, when everyone living in Tokyo recognizes that Tokyo is our club, I believe we will be in a position worthy of declaring that we are aiming for titles. However, none of what I just mentioned currently exists in reality. If the current situation is not yet ready, I believe what we must do is to move forward step by step.
Q, What is your evaluation of player Kashif BANGNAGANDE?
A: His continuous growth is remarkable. I believe that an essential quality a player must have is the ability to learn. For a player like him who possesses such a capacity to learn, no one can predict how far he will develop. He still needs to grow more and has room for improvement. I think he is a player worthy of expecting further growth. The same goes for Manabu NAKAMURA. He has dramatically improved over the course of one year.
Q, how do you feel about the opening?
A, I feel very confident heading into the opening. I am confident that my team can play with a strong focus on winning against any opponent. However, the J1 League is a very competitive league. While it is difficult to predict what the results will be, I can clearly feel the players' confidence.
[Player Interview]
<Diego OLIVEIRA>
Q: Approaching the opening match of this season in Tokyo, which marks my 6th year with the team. Please share your current state of mind.
A: This season marks my 6th year, and every team at this time of year is thinking about making a good start dash. Since this opening match is at home and the opponent is the Urawa Reds, I believe the stadium will have a wonderful atmosphere. We want to do what we can and start off on a good note.
Q, is it a feeling of excitement before the opening, or is there any anxiety?
Every game is important, and it is natural for us to be highly motivated towards them. However, the opening game is even more exciting. As I mentioned earlier, our opponent this time is very tough, so we need to stay focused and not lose concentration. I want to tighten our spirits and stay determined.
Q: "The coach Albert PUIG ORTONEDA said, 'I feel like we have been able to prepare smoothly from the camp this season.' How do you feel about the current condition?"
This season marks the second year under coach Albert PUIG ORTONEDA, and the players understand the style he aims for. I believe starting from this point has various advantages, and including the camp, we have been training with very high intensity so far, so I think we can enter the opening match in good shape. Personally, last season I had many periods where I couldn't play at my best due to injuries, but now I am pain-free and in very good condition. However, since it is the opening match, I want to stay focused and prepared.
Q: I've heard that new players like Teruhito NAKAGAWA and Kei KOIZUMI have already fit in well with the team. From Diego's perspective, do you have high expectations for the new recruits?
A, I believe this year's new players are also very excellent and reliable. Besides the two mentioned, including young players and those promoted from the U-18 team, they are all very high-quality players, so I think they will be a positive addition to the team. PEROTTI has also joined, and Nakagawa and Koizumi are players with proven records in the J.League, so I believe they will be a plus for the team. Although it has only been a few months since we started playing together in Tokyo, I feel that they are able to demonstrate their abilities, and including their combinations, they have adapted well to the team, which is very beneficial for us. The other new players besides those two also have strong abilities, so I feel that the overall team strength has been raised.
Q: Please tell us your goal for this season.
A: I want to make it a great season throughout the year. Of course, I have the desire to win a title, but to achieve that, I believe it is important to fight hard and get good results in each and every match in front of us. The opening match against Urawa will be tough, so first, I am focusing on preparing for that. I hope that by winning match after match, we will ultimately achieve good results. While aiming to win a title, I want to value each match one by one.
Q, in the final match of the 2019 season and the Levain Cup final of the 2020 season, Tokyo did not have Diego on the pitch. I believe that the fans and supporters want to win the title with Diego. Including such expectations, I would like to ask the fans and supporters for a message.
A: I have been with Tokyo for a long time now, and from the moment I arrived, I have been warmly welcomed by the fans and supporters, as well as various people involved with the team. I want to express my gratitude once again. It was very disappointing not to be able to play in those two matches due to injuries just before the games. However, injuries are part of football, and although it was unfortunate not to be able to participate in those matches, it is something that cannot be helped. The fans and supporters are a great source of strength for us, and their support inspires us to "run" and "win" for them. This season as well, I want to fight together with the fans and supporters alongside us. Once again, thank you very much for supporting us up to now. Moving forward, I hope you will continue to give us strength just as you have before, even more than before, and we also want to achieve the team’s goals together for you and for ourselves. Please continue to support us this season as well.
Q: The opening match will allow vocal support, and Ajinomoto Stadium, which has been without cheering for a long time, will be back. In that sense, are there high expectations for the fans and supporters?
A: I am really looking forward to experiencing that atmosphere again after such a long time. Even during the COVID-19 pandemic, many fans and supporters have come to the stadium, but due to regulations, vocal cheering was not allowed. However, this time I think we will be able to cheer out loud, so I believe we will receive even more energy than before. I understand that the match against Urawa will be a tough one, but I am focusing and directing my feelings toward the game, and I believe many people will come to support us. Of course, it is us who fight on the pitch, but together with the fans and supporters and their cheering, we will do our best to achieve good results. There are still a few more days of tough training ahead, so I want to keep working hard to deliver good results.
Q, will you show us "the strongest Diego" again this year?
A, of course, every season I wish to make it a good one, and I carry that feeling in my heart as I play. There are times when I score goals or perform well, and times when I cannot. However, within that, I never forget what I can do and the idea of "for the team." I have always done it that way, and I want to continue doing so. Last season was very tough for me, including injuries, so this year I want to approach the season aiming to have it go well.
<Keigo HIGASHI>
Q, how do you feel on the eve of the J-League opening?
A, every season, the time from the start of camp to the opening feels like it passes quickly. Thinking that a long season begins tomorrow, I am really looking forward to it. I believe there are many aspects that can change depending on us.
Q, all players say they feel a sense of accomplishment.
A, first of all, we need to have confidence, and confidence is necessary to win. However, I think many things will happen during the long season. There will be injuries and the impact of COVID-19, but I believe that beyond overcoming such situations, there will be a good view. So, I think tomorrow's match will be important, and I want to win each and every game.
Q: Where do you feel the sense of accomplishment?
A, Since Albert PUIG ORTONEDA took over as coach, we have clearly been able to challenge ourselves to play football where we take the initiative, and we feel a sense of accomplishment in that. However, no matter what tactics we use, I believe that attention to detail is what decides the outcome in critical moments. Whether we can focus on those details will be crucial this season.
Q, speaking of attention to detail, I think it's about scoring goals, and I heard that you have been focusing on it in practice as well.
A, it is something necessary to win. However, there may be matches where we cannot break through. In those cases, I think it is also attention to detail to somehow defend and earn 1 point, and since we cannot aim higher without accumulating points, I believe we need to challenge that as well.
Q: Do you have any thoughts on the upcoming season, which will be significantly different from last season's opening?
A: I have been playing as an anchor since last season, and there are still challenges and many uncertainties. In that situation, I need to build confidence that I can perform through repeated practice and approach matches with that confidence, and I believe this is a daily process. In that sense, I was able to prepare well from the camp, so I want to play with confidence.
Q: Please share your thoughts on the opening match.
A, I think they are the opponent we must overcome. Of course, there is some sense of difficulty, but we have to win against such opponents as well. I am very excited and also a bit anxious, but I hope we both play a good match and that the J.League becomes more exciting.
Q, what is your impression of Urawa?
A, I haven't seen their matches or the players' performances, and I don't have much information about the team, so there are some difficult aspects. However, I think the members haven't changed much from last season. The coach has changed, so the expectations are probably different, but I hope to adjust while playing. Since we won't be able to watch footage of the match at the opening, I think what happens during the game will be important.
Q: How is the newly joined player Teruhito NAKAGAWA?
A, He is an experienced player, and I think he also understands what kind of play we each make. Within that, I believe an accent that wasn’t there last season will emerge. Of course, there are many good existing players as well, but I think I am in a position to somewhat support from behind, so I want to bring out everyone’s strengths. Since there are players with various characteristics, I want to draw them out and also be drawn out myself.
Q, As the number 10 in Tokyo, what kind of play do you want to make? A, The content of the play does not change with the jersey number, but I have to take responsibility when playing in a game and I am thinking of playing with the desire to win in the forefront.
Q: Tomorrow's match allows 100% capacity and vocal support from all seats. What kind of power does the voice of the fans and supporters have?
A: It is a privilege of home games, and Urawa also has a lot of supporters, but the voices of the fans and supporters can put pressure on the opponent, so I think it is important. We haven’t had a match with vocal support from all seats for a long time, so we have forgotten that environment. I think there will be cheers from the warm-up, so I want to savor that and bring my feelings into each and every play.
Q: Are you aiming for a goal in the opening match?
Because I have a lot of time to defend, I don't think I have an image of scoring goals, but of course, if there is a chance, I would like to aim for it. I don't think that just scoring goals can make the team win, so I want to contribute to the team's victory in other ways, and in any case, I want to fulfill my role.
Q: Do you feel any changes in Matsuki's performance in his second year?
A: I think Matsuki has been playing with a truly strong determination since last season, and I believe that hasn't changed this season. I think he feels pressure because everyone has high expectations, and since there is an age difference where I can support him, I hope to support him well. I want him to play freely once he's on the pitch. There is a lot I can learn from him, and he is a wonderful player.
Kuryu MATSUKI
Q, the J-League is finally starting. How do you feel?
A, I am very excited. We have become a good team heading into the opening, and my condition is improving, so I want to focus on winning the match against Urawa and do my best. I think many fans and supporters will come to Ajinomoto Stadium, so I am really looking forward to it.
Q: Tokyo has not been able to beat Urawa for the past few seasons. What kind of impression do you have?
A: Urawa has changed their coach, and I think they will come at us with strong determination. However, I believe their tactics are not yet settled, so I hope we can see that as an opportunity and make the most of it.
Q: How is the team or individual's condition? Also, what kind of play do you want to make as an anchor?
A, I want to quickly switch between offense and defense and win the battles for second balls. Throughout the camp, we have increased the variety of ways we can score. I believe we have been able to level up while maintaining our strengths, such as our passing play and short counters, which are our characteristics. I think we have also strengthened plays that calm the game down and movements that enter the area in front of the goal, so I want people to watch for those.
Q: Do you feel a sense of growth day by day in your practice?
A: I have to keep growing, and I understand that better than anyone. Without looking too far ahead, I want to stay grounded and grow significantly through the matches.
Q, I think the addition of new players has made the team stronger. How do you feel about the competition for positions and the atmosphere of the team's training?
A: I believe that whoever plays in the matches this season, the team can play good soccer. Compared to last season, the squad depth has increased even more this season, and I hope we can play with 100 percent confidence from the start and win through our team strength.
Q, I think many fans and supporters will visit as vocal support is fully allowed at Ajinomoto Stadium.
A: I think many fans and supporters will come, so I want to win the home game and do my best to make the fans and supporters happy. I want to play confidently to entertain the large crowd, and since I’m the type who gets more fired up the more fans and supporters there are, I’m really looking forward to it.
Q: As you enter your second season, what kind of role do you want to play for the team?
A, Last season, I was able to play in many matches and got to deeply understand Albert PUIG ORTONEDA's style of football. I want to help instill that within the team. I also want to prove that I can fight the hardest for the team and achieve results. The ultimate goal is to win the championship. As the coach says, everyone shares the common understanding that we must win the upcoming match, so for now, I am focusing solely on beating Urawa.
