Cerezo Osaka – FW Nagai has left the club, on loan, to Perth in Australia. MF Sakemoto is out injured.
Shimizu S-Pulse – DF Yoshida out, FW Takagi working on a hamstring injury but very doubtful.

Five games since S-Pulse won this one, with 6 wins for Cerezo, 4 for S-Pulse and 5 draws since 2004.

Despite a win against Marinos in his first game back in charge, and a vital six-pointer in the next game against Albirex, Cerezo coach Culpi now knows what he is up against and he must be aware that the team could still be dragged down into the relegation mire, especially if Ardija and Gamba continue to pick up points. A home loss to Grampus last time out put paid to the Cerezo revival and with rumours sweeping the team of the likely departures of Ogihara and Yamaguchi – joining a long line of players who have moved on in the last year or two – it can only get worse for Cerezo if they do not win this match.

Shimizu S-Pulse will be disappointed that they didn’t get maximum points last week against FC Tokyo, a couple of extra points would have taken them up to 6th, within touching distance of the top 3, or even the top spot. It’s still not an impossible ask, but three points from these kinds of games are now a must if they are to continue their slow rise back up the table.
Genki Omae is back in the goals, and new signing Kim has contributed everything but a J.League goal so far, it is his time! Coach Afshin Ghotbi has cleared out some of the players who were not part of the philosophy and is blooding the youngsters, like Ishige, slowly but surely. EXPECT a WIN for SHIMIZU S-PULSE!