Gamba Osaka, who finished their long and arduous ACL2 campaign not as finalists but as champions, are returning to the Meiji Yasuda J1 J.LEAGUE 100 YEAR VISION LEAGUE stage.
Gamba Osaka, who became the first J.League team to win two ACL titles, have achieved this feat, but it's only a stepping stone towards their return to their former glory as a dominant force. Head Coach Vising frankly stated, "It was the best moment for the club, the players, and myself," but the manager, who always strives for greater heights, also declared this:
"If Gamba were satisfied with their tenth title, the club wouldn't change, and they need to prove that they have conquered Asia."

The final match of the season, an away game against Shimizu, is a crucial one for Gamba Osaka, as they want to finish as high in the standings as possible to qualify for the playoff round.
A three-point victory could put them in fourth place (as of the last matchday), depending on the results of other clubs. However, a loss to Shimizu, who are currently in seventh place and only one point behind Gamba, could see them drop to seventh place.

After the grueling battle in Saudi Arabia, the team refreshed both physically and mentally during the off-season, but Hummett has already shifted his focus to the Shimizu match, stating, "We want to finish the remaining three matches on a high note."

No matter who is on the pitch, Gamba's style remains unchanged. "Opponents may come at us thinking they can beat us now that we've won the Asian title, but we want to prove ourselves with our own style of football, without changing anything," (Yamashita).

While everyone is working together to win the ball back, what's needed before summer arrives is time to settle down possession. Since their style of play isn't simply to rush forward and attack, Yamashita says, "We want to play while keeping possession of the ball as much as possible."

On the other hand, Shimizu will also be looking to win against Gamba at the Japan National Stadium, which is considered their home ground. In their last three matches, they have lost one and drawn two, but the style of Head Coach Yoshida, who took over this season, is steadily taking root at Shimizu. As Yamashita says, "They have tall players up front and kick the ball diagonally," and at the forefront is their ace Oh OH Se Hun, who has scored 7 goals, but Shimamoto, who has scored 3 goals in the second line, and Uno, who has provided 2 assists, are also players to watch out for. In addition, MATHEUS BUENO Batista, the anchor who has been selected for the J1 WEST All-Star team, is a player who can change the rhythm of the game, so it will be dangerous to give him too much freedom.

In the home match on February 28th, Gamba won after taking a two-goal lead and going to a penalty shootout. However, with Kitagawa and Capishava, who conceded goals in the final stages of the match, on the pitch, caution is naturally necessary.
However, over the past three months, Gamba has gone through numerous tough situations and made various improvements, including the emergence of new players.
"We haven't won in the last two league matches, so we want to win the final match and celebrate with our supporters" (Yamashita).
The match against Shimizu will be crucial for Gamba to climb the standings and gain momentum for the playoffs. Now that Gamba has reclaimed their title-holding status, it's time for them to demonstrate their strength domestically.