Gamba suffered a disappointing end in the 3rd Leg of the EMPEROR'S CUP . Knowing all about the difficulties of cup competitions, they went all out to win the match against Yamagata, but a dramatic goal from Nakatani reminded them of last season's semi-final and took the match to a penalty shootout, but they still lost.
What Gamba needs to show now is the team's determination and rebound mentality to rise above adversity, as they showed in the Osaka Derby.
"We want to play well in the second half of the league, and I think the players will do that. We want everyone to react well. By doing that, we can see the top spots," said Head Coach Poyatos.

Kawasaki F will be hosting them in the league match, which will be their second game in three days, but they also lost to J3 team Sagamihara in a penalty shootout after extra time in the 3rd Leg of the EMPEROR'S CUP .
Although Kawasaki F is a tough opponent, since Head Coach Poyatos took over, they have been undefeated in the league and have a good record against them, with 3 wins and 2 draws in the past 5 matches. While negating Kawasaki F's strengths in moving the ball, Gamba has also demonstrated its strengths in attack, but Head Coach Poyatos had this to say about this matchup:
"It's important to have firm control of the ball while having a strong sense of purpose."
In the away game in May, they started to push forward in the second half and managed to turn the game around at one point. Although the game ended in a 2-2 draw, they showed a glimpse of Gamba's true character on the road.
Ravi, who has been at the center of Gamba's brilliance in attack this season, said, "The key point is whether we can take control of the game and make it difficult for the opponent."
With consecutive games coming up in the summer, we want to first gain control of the ball and try to break through the opponent's goal.
Under Poyatos' management, they have scored a total of 12 goals in five games against Kawasaki F. They have never ended a game without scoring, but with the pressure of the home fans, they want to create more time to press forward.

However, since the appointment of Head Coach Hasebe, Kawasaki F now has a better balance between offense and defense. Although they have the second highest number of goals scored in the league, they have conceded few goals, and their goal difference is 13, the best in the league. "They seem to have sharp counterattacks and high accuracy," said Ichimori, who is wary of them, but careless losses are a big no-no against Kawasaki F, who quickly switches between offense and defense.
Yamamoto, who played for Gamba, is one of the two defensive midfielders and has shown his kicking prowess, including on set plays, but he must be highly motivated at Panasonic Stadium Suita, where he will be playing against us for the first time. We want to shut down his kicking sense.
Yamada, who was called up for the E-1 Championship, has already left the team with the intention of transferring, but Marcio Augusto Da Silva Barbosa(MARCINHO) is the attacker to watch out for. Handa, who is likely to be matched up against him, is also full of energy, saying, "There is a key player on my side, so if we can stop him there, we will have a higher chance of winning."

Although the pain and regret of losing the EMPEROR'S CUP remain, Gamba's attitude will be shown in the remaining league games. "One point is not enough. We have to get three points and close the gap with the leaders in the game against Kawasaki F, which is a home game," said Handa.
With their home supporters, Gamba rises again.