In the 3rd Leg of the EMPEROR'S CUP , held amid a tight schedule, Gamba faced Miyazaki without making any major changes. While five J1 clubs lost to lower-level teams, Gamba advanced to the round of 16 with a winning goal from Usami.
The players are well aware that there are no official matches that can be won easily, but " The EMPEROR'S CUP was a match that we couldn't lose, so winning was a plus for the team. We showed what Gamba is all about," said Fukuoka, looking back on the match in which the team's true strength was on full display.

For Gamba, who are trailing Machida by five points, every game is a "final," but Usami is keeping his nerve even in third place. "We've experienced a sudden collapse in one game, so it's good to always have a sense of crisis," Usami said.
In the previous round, they won a comfortable victory over Yokohama F･Marinos with four goals, the most this season. JEBALI scored his first goal of the season in the league, and Ravi scored his first goal for Gamba in the EMPEROR'S CUP. The fierce competition within the team is leading to improved individual performance.

The match against Tosu, which will take place in three days, will be an opportunity for Gamba to show not only their tactics but also the individual talents they are proud of on both offense and defense.
Head Coach Poyatos is wary of Tosu, saying, "Tosu is a different team from two or three months ago," but although Tosu is in 17th place, they have won against Niigata and Yokohama F･Marinos and are in good form.
The reason for Tosu's success is that their high pressure is working, but "The opposing defensive midfielders come forward and hit us. That's when we create gaps, so we want to find a free player at the right time," said Head Coach Poyatos.
WELTON and Yamashita's speed is a weapon for Gamba, but what is required of Gamba in the summer battles is to also use the style of moving the ball that Head Coach Poyatos originally aimed for. Suzuki, one of Poyatos' children, also emphasized, "We need to get past the opponents. When we have the ball, we want to keep it, and we have many players with individuality, so we want to make good use of that."

Despite making a turnover in the 3rd Leg of the EMPEROR'S CUP , Tosu won 3-1 against Yokohama FC. Their main players will be fresh, but if they can keep the ball moving, chances will naturally come for in-form players like Usami and WELTON.
On the other hand, Tosu also has a number of players who should not be underestimated. "I think it's all about the individual. The opponent has players like Yokoyama and Hien who can do things well up front," Usami said, expressing his caution, but there are many players to watch out for, including MARCELO RYAN Silvestre Dos Santos, who has scored 10 goals. Kiyotake, who joined on loan, and Lithuanian MF Vikintas Slivka can also be used from this match. However, the key will be to stop Yokoyama, who has scored in two consecutive matches and has scored five goals this season. Handa, who will join the U-23 Japan national team after the Tosu match, also said, "Tosu has Yokoyama, who is in good form right now. If we stop him, Tosu will not be happy. He is often the starting point for counterattacks, so I want to stop him as an individual," and he intends to show off Gamba's individual strength in defense as well.
"Tosu is overwhelmingly strong at home and is a tough opponent" (Usami), but that is exactly why Gamba's strength this season will allow them to pull off the win.