Head Coach DANIEL POYATOS : "Niigata have not won in 12 matches, but they have played matches where they could have won, such as the previous match against Nagoya, so I think this match will certainly be a difficult one. Matches against opponents who are fighting to avoid relegation are not easy, so I think it is important for us to be patient when we need to be, not get nervous, and read the game as we go. Niigata currently does not want to make any errors and wants to earn points, so I get the impression that they want to play more simply than they did in the first half of the season. Against this opponent, we will need to use what we have been able to do in recent matches to get into our own flow, and by quickly switching gears when we have the ball and lose it. To do this, I think we just need to focus on ourselves rather than the opponent."

FW7 Takashi USAMI "Rather than being wary of Niigata's football itself, I think that teams fighting to avoid relegation need to be constantly on their toes because one game or one goal can change the momentum and the team's appearance. For example, if the opponent scores a goal and then goes on a roll, it will be difficult for us, so we need to be constantly vigilant to avoid that, while also playing aggressive, positive football. If I play, it will be my 300th J1 appearance, but I will just play as usual. I don't feel that I am particularly good at milestones, but I have scored goals in such situations before, so I feel that I can score again this time. I would like to make it a great memory by scoring a goal and winning my 300th game."

FW51 Makoto MITSUTA "Gamba is currently conceding fewer goals, and even when they concede the first goal, they don't lose heart. They're able to keep playing their own style of football as much as possible, which I think is the biggest factor in their success. Niigata, who we're facing this week, have made some big changes to their lineup, and because they haven't won yet, I think they're focusing on playing simpler football, so I think it will be a different feel to the matchup we played last term. It will be a difficult match, but if they can play their own style of football with confidence, I think it will be very difficult for them to play. If Gamba can score the first goal, I think the opponents will drop back, so the first thing we need to do is how much pressure we can put on them. If we can do that, I think they won't be able to play the style of football they want to play."