Gamba Osaka coach Akira Nishino does not expect Urawa Reds to be weakened despite a trio of suspensions for their Asian Champions League semi-final second leg clash on Wednesday evening.
The defending champions will be without goalkeeper Ryota Tsuzuki as well as Hajime Hosogai and Takahito Soma as they look to build on an away-goals advantage earned in a 1-1 draw in the first leg two weeks ago.
Hosogai gave Gert Engels' side the lead in the opening encounter in Osaka before Yasuhito Endo's late penalty earned Gamba a deserved share of the spoils.
And Nishino would rather the same two line-ups faced off again at Saitama Stadium.
"If they play with eight players it might be an advantage but I'd rather play against the same 11 players as in the last game," he said.
"I think Urawa Reds have a lot of really good talent so it won't be easy for us.
"The condition of our team is not bad compared with the start of the season and we have a clear objective; we have to win the game.
"We're not treating this as such a special game, we are relaxed and treating it like a normal league game."
Reds, who won the title last year to become the first J.League club to claim the trophy since the inception of the Asian Champions League in 2002, will call up Norihiro Yamagishi as a replacement for Tsuzuki while influential defender Marcus Tulio Tanaka should start after missing the first leg through injury.
The champions, though, come into the game off the back of a disappointing 1-0 defeat in the league at the hands of Vissel Kobe, with the loss leaving them six points off the pace with just five matches remaining in the domestic title race.
Gamba are in a similar position, trailing Urawa on goal difference, leaving both teams hoping to salvage their seasons with victory in the continental championship.
Despite Urawa's disappointing recent showing in the J.League, Tulio was quick to stress domestic form would count for little on Wednesday evening.
"If we had won the 10 games before today it wouldn't matter because it would still be a problem if we were to lose tomorrow's game," said the Brazil-born Japan international.
"This is an important game because this is our chance to prove we are worthy champions. You can't compare this with the J.League."
Hosogai gave Gert Engels' side the lead in the opening encounter in Osaka before Yasuhito Endo's late penalty earned Gamba a deserved share of the spoils.
And Nishino would rather the same two line-ups faced off again at Saitama Stadium.
"If they play with eight players it might be an advantage but I'd rather play against the same 11 players as in the last game," he said.
"I think Urawa Reds have a lot of really good talent so it won't be easy for us.
"The condition of our team is not bad compared with the start of the season and we have a clear objective; we have to win the game.
"We're not treating this as such a special game, we are relaxed and treating it like a normal league game."
Reds, who won the title last year to become the first J.League club to claim the trophy since the inception of the Asian Champions League in 2002, will call up Norihiro Yamagishi as a replacement for Tsuzuki while influential defender Marcus Tulio Tanaka should start after missing the first leg through injury.
The champions, though, come into the game off the back of a disappointing 1-0 defeat in the league at the hands of Vissel Kobe, with the loss leaving them six points off the pace with just five matches remaining in the domestic title race.
Gamba are in a similar position, trailing Urawa on goal difference, leaving both teams hoping to salvage their seasons with victory in the continental championship.
Despite Urawa's disappointing recent showing in the J.League, Tulio was quick to stress domestic form would count for little on Wednesday evening.
"If we had won the 10 games before today it wouldn't matter because it would still be a problem if we were to lose tomorrow's game," said the Brazil-born Japan international.
"This is an important game because this is our chance to prove we are worthy champions. You can't compare this with the J.League."
Copyright (c) Press Association
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