Gamba Osaka – GK Kimura and DF Nakazawa are both out with broken legs. DFs Kaji and Eduardo are long term injuries. MF Ienaga has signed on loan and will be available for this match, wearing no.41.
Omiya Ardija – MF Higashi is with the Olympic team. MF Murakami out for at least two months. FW Sakemoto is out for about one month. DF/MF Kikuchi is suspended.

Nine wins for Gamba, six for Ardija with no draws over 15 match-ups since 2005.

Gamba Osaka have given some excellent performances for an hour in so many games this season and then lost games or points to late goals. They SHOULD have won against the likes of Sagan Tosu, Urawa Reds, Nagoya Grampus and probably last week against Vissel Kobe, too. But it’s goals that count and the fact that they let in late goals, fail to win when playing well can not be good for confidence. This game is the proverbial six-pointer – a win will put them within three points of their opponents and level out the goal difference, and then next week Gamba take on Cerezo – these two games are must win for the team, or they are J2-bound. Leandro and the newly-returned Ienaga will be in the mood to win and could make the difference.

Omiya Ardija are missing Higashi with the Olympic squad and Cho – so good last season – has not been putting his game together after his move from Albirex. The fans will be hoping that Zlatan Ljubijankic, signed from Belgian side Gent, will be the answer to their prayers in front of goal, although he may not be ready to start this weekend? The team scraped an important 1-0 victory out of S-Pulse a few weeks back but otherwise are not pulling in many points. This game is a HUGE test of their credentials and a loss will see them dragged into the relegation battle.
EXPECT a WIN for GAMBA OSAKA!