In the afternoon, an official press conference was held at Kashima Stadium, attended by Manager Oiwa and player Nagaki.
Manager Go Oiwa:
"We played against Sydney FC away, and we were able to return home in good spirits. Tomorrow, we want to start the home match well, aiming for all three points. For teams participating in the ACL, a packed schedule and long travel are commonplace, so all players must be prepared from the beginning of the season. Fortunately, our team has many players with high levels of skill and awareness, so I want to trust them fully when sending them onto the pitch. As we play in both the ACL and J-League, the number of matches increases. The ACL is a high-level tournament where we play against international teams. The schedule is very tough, and the intensity of the matches is high, so I analyze that injuries are unavoidable. Of course, fewer injuries are better, but I believe muscle-related injuries are few. There have been players injured by contact, but muscle injuries are few, so it's unavoidable. This also creates opportunities for substitute players, especially young ones, to seize. I want to prepare with a positive mindset."
Player Ryota Nagaki:
"Sydney FC holds possession well from the back and connects passes. They also have physically strong players, and I felt their physicality. We need to be careful. In our last encounter, I felt that player number 11 was the central figure in their attack. We want to play in a way that prevents them from creating a starting point. If we win, I think we'll be closer to advancing from the group stage, but I want to focus on the match without worrying about that. I think they are an opponent we cannot beat without fighting as one. We want to fight with a strong sense of unity."
From Sydney FC, Manager Graham Arnold and player Matthew Simon attended.
Manager Graham Arnold:
"I am delighted to be in Kashima. Our team arrived on Friday to adapt to the environment early. We are fresh and highly motivated. I am happy to be able to play in this beautiful stadium, and I want to fight for a victory. We lost in Sydney, but in terms of content, I believe our performance was superior. While they scored two goals from set pieces, I don't think we were inferior in other aspects. We created more chances and showed a good performance. I believe we can show an even better performance than the last match. Our game plan is as usual. We want to play a game where we fight and physically overpower the opponent."
Player Matthew Simon:
"I am filled with joy to be in Kashima. We have been very welcomed and are having a wonderful time so far. I am looking forward to the match, and I want to do our best to get the results we want. Although the result was not what we wanted in the last match, we were able to show a good overall performance. The momentum went to the opponent at key moments. I believe that turning the key moments of the match in our favor will lead to victory."
After the official press conference, Sydney FC held an official practice at Kashima Stadium.
[Video] Official Practice & Press Conference
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