Gamba Osaka – GK Kimura, DF Nakazawa and FW Kawanishi all out with broken legs. DFs Kaji and Eduardo out injured. FW Leandro is hopeful of returning from injury.
Albirex Niigata – MFs Uchida and Nakamura injured

7 wins for Gamba, 5 for Albirex, and 5 draws over the last decade, all in J1

Gamba have Leandro to thank for inspiring them to an unbeaten run that got them out of the bottom three and, sure enough, when he was out injured in the last league game Gamba went down to Sagan Tosu. This game is a real six pointer in the battle against relegation and Gamba will be hoping their Brazilian hot shot is fit. If so, expect goals – Gamba ARE the 2nd highest scorers in J1, even though they are in the lower reaches – and the points to go to Gamba.

The Gamba defence is still leaking goals, too, though, but the incoming loan of Iwashita seems to have settled them a little. Albirex are struggling to score goals but Gamba rarely keep a clean sheet, so perhaps we can expect a high scoring game? Albirex Niigata, though, are the lowest scorers in J1, having notched only 16 goals in 24 matches, and have lost three of the last four – surely the form of a team bound for J2?

EXPECT a WIN for GAMBA OSAKA!