Gamba knows that there are no easy games in the long league season. Despite allowing Yokohama F･Marinos, who are currently fighting to avoid relegation, to take the lead in the previous match, they put in a flurry of goals in the second half to secure their first four consecutive wins in the league this season. Since their first come-from-behind victory of the season against Kawasaki F. in July, Gamba have come from behind to win four league matches, including the previous one. Instead of relying on low-scoring wins like last season, they have developed the strength to overpower opponents in shootouts, marking a new face for the team.

Gamba is on a five-game winning streak in official matches, including ACL2, but the team remains focused on the match at hand. Mitsuda, who came on as a substitute in the previous match and changed the flow of the game, scoring his first goal for Gamba, said, "If we win each match, the gap with the leaders will naturally narrow. If we look too far ahead, we'll get caught off guard."
Five days later, Gamba will play their first away match in ACL2, but they will first focus on the match against Niigata and go for a win with everyone's strength.

"We will play the kind of football we have been able to play in recent matches, and quickly switch gears after losing the ball, to get into our own flow. We want to focus on ourselves rather than the opponent," emphasized Head Coach Poyatos. Gamba has been analyzing Niigata's defence and taking countermeasures, but there is no wavering in the football they play on the pitch.
One of Gamba's strengths is that they keep possession of the ball and tire out their opponents, but they are also quick vertically and do not miss even a moment's opportunity, as shown in the winning goal against Yokohama F･Marinos.
The man in charge of Gamba's attack is none other than ace pitcher Usami. If he plays in the match against Niigata, it will be Usami's 300th J1 match. "I've scored in certain situations. I want to score in my 300th match with my own hands, win the game and make it a fond memory," he said, aiming to score in two consecutive matches.
We want to break down Niigata's defense not just with a finisher, but with the fluid movements of Usami, who will be entrusted with full authority over the attack, and the double defensive midfielder.

Meanwhile, Niigata will be heading to Panasonic Stadium Suita in search of an away win. Niigata drew with Nagoya in the previous round, ending a four-game losing streak, but they are currently in last place and fighting to avoid relegation. They have yet to win a game in their last 12 games, drawing two and losing ten. Former Gamba player Irie took over as Head Coach in Head Coach, but even after taking over, they have yet to win a game, drawing two and losing nine.
With only seven points separating them from 17th-placed Yokohama F･Marinos, they will likely be determined to win.

While Hasegawa, who has scored six goals, is a player to watch out for, Takagi, who was once part of the "Platinum Generation" along with Usami and played for the national team, is another player to keep in check. Also, be wary of left-back Hashimoto's kick-based attacks.
It's unclear how Niigata will play out, but Head Coach Poyatos said, "It's important to read the flow of the game. At this stage, it's important to go for it when your time comes."
They play cleverly, but also step up their game at key moments. The match against Niigata only shows how strong Gamba is right now.