Vissel Kobe – FW Okubo is working hard to be fit for selection.
Gamba Osaka – GK Kimura and DF Nakazawa are both out with broken legs. DFs Kaji and Eduardo are long term injuries.

Eight wins for Gamba, five for Vissel and six draws over the last decade.

Vissel Kobe (13th – P18 W8 D1 L9 GD -2 Pts. 25) have looked like they are settling in under new coach Akira Nishino, and results have not quite gone the way the some performances have merited. They have already beaten Gamba this season and will be quietly confident that they can do the double. They may not be as hungry for the win as desperate Gamba Osaka (17th – P18 W3 D4 L11 GD -13 Pts. 13) though. With the arrival of Leandro – former Vissel player, of course – and the fact that they need to get points against Vissel, Omiya and Cerezo in their next three games – I feel Gamba will be the hungrier, and will take this one. EXPECT a WIN for GAMBA OSAKA!