Consadole Sapporo – DF Jade North is suspended. MF Takagi is out for two months. FW Maeda out until at least August.
Albirex Niigata – DF JS Kim out for two months with a knee injury. MF Nakamura out for three months with bone fracture in foot. MF Uchida out for the season.

Four wins for Albirex, two for Consadole and a draw in seven meetings. Four meetings were in J2 in 2003. The last three meetings, this year in the Nabisco Cup and two in J1 in 2008 were all won by Albirex.

Just one win all season so far for Consadole Sapporo (18th – P16 W1 D1 L14 GD -27 Pts. 4), this must be their biggest chance to get another win and to have any hope of a comeback – the team closest to them! Having scored just 10 goals so far, and conceded 37, though, perhaps a draw is as good as it will get for the bottom team?
Albirex Niigata (17th – P16 W3 D4 L9 GD -12 Pts. 13) drew last time out and managed a win against S-Pulse in new coach Yanagishita’s first game in charge – but lost to Vissel Kobe in between those bright spots. They will see this as a big chance to add another three points and out the pressure on Gamba Osaka. But Sapporo might pull out all the stops – expect a DRAW!