2018 Gamba Osaka season


The 2018 Gamba Osaka season was Gamba Osaka's 25th season in the J1 League and 31st overall in the Japanese top flight. It saw them compete in the 18 team J1 League as well as the J.League Cup and Emperor's Cup competitions.
Gamba will begin the season with a new manager in the shape of Brazilian, former Cerezo Osaka boss Levir Culpi who replaced long-standing manager Kenta Hasegawa who moved to FC Tokyo.
Culpi was fired after poor form saw Gamba sit in the J1 relegation zone at the halfway point of the season. He was replaced by Gamba Under-23 manager Tsuneyasu Miyamoto on July 23.

Transfers

Prior to the end of 2017, Gamba announced the capture of young defenders; Tetsuya Yamaguchi and Riku Matsuda as well as midfielder Yuya Fukuda all straight out of high school. Meanwhile, midfielder Ren Shibamoto and attacker Haruto Shirai were promoted to the first team squad after impressing for Gamba's Under-23 side in J3 during 2017.
Shortly before Christmas the signings of attacking midfielder Shinya Yajima and former Gamba youth product, centre-back Shunya Suganuma were announced, with the duo arriving from Urawa Reds and Montedio Yamagata respectively. This news was followed a few days later with the news of the signing of Japan Under-17 midfielder Keito Nakamura from Tokyo-based Mitsubishi Yowa SC as well as the promotion of Under-23 goalkeeper Kosei Tani to the first team squad.
2 league games into the campaign and Gamba secured the signing of former Brazil Under-20 defensive midfielder Matheus Jesus on loan from Portuguese side Estoril. His contracted would run until the end of the year.
Long serving goalkeeper Yosuke Fujigaya, who had made over 250 league appearances for the club announced his retirement at the end of the 2017 season after spending the previous 3 years providing backup to established number 1, Masaaki Higashiguchi. Holding midfielder Tatsuya Uchida turned his loan move to Tokyo Verdy into a permanent one and he would be joined at the Tokyo club by young forward Hiromu Kori who had spent the previous season on loan with Gamba Under-23, scoring 3 goals in 17 appearances.
Additionally experienced Japanese-born but Korean passport holding centre-back Kim Jung-ya moved to Vegalta Sendai, while Kashima Antlers forward Shuhei Akasaki returned to his parent club following a disappointing loan spell which yielded only 2 goals. Another forward with a poor goalscoring record, Hiroto Goya moved to J2 League outfit Tokushima Vortis in an effort to rediscover his scoring touch, he would be joined in J2 by backup goalkeeper Ken Tajiri who extended his loan spell at Zweigen Kanazawa for a further season. Gamba U-23 centre back and sometimes central midfielder made the move to J3 side Grulla Morioka after making close to 50 appearances in J3 but failing to crack Gamba's senior side.
At the beginning of January, a press conference was held confirming that key central midfielder Yosuke Ideguchi would join English EFL Championship side Leeds United. The Japanese international would however join Spanish Segunda División outfit Cultural Leonesa on loan for the remainder of the 2017–18 European club season. In the day's following Ideguchi's departure it was confirmed that young utility player So Hirao had been allowed to join Avispa Fukuoka on loan for 2018 and centre-back / defensive midfielder Shogo Nakahara had completed his loan spell with the club and would return to his parent club, Consadole Sapporo. Veteran midfielder Takahiro Futagawa also announced that he would spend another year on loan with Tokyo Verdy in J2 having spend the previous 18 months in Japan's capital.
The first of February saw the announcement that young South Korean centre-back Bae Soo-yong would join J3 outfit Giravanz Kitakyushu on a season long loan. He spent the 2017 campaign with Gamba's Under-23 side, scoring once in 24 games and earning to red cards in the process.
During the mid-season transfer window, it was announced at the end of June that midfielders Shinya Yajima and Jin Izumisawa would spend the second half of the year on loan at Vegalta Sendai and Tokyo Verdy respectively. Both players had struggled for game time with the top team and had spent large chunks of the season playing with Gamba U-23 in J3. Their departures cleared the way for the arrival of Renofa Yamaguchi midfielder Kosuke Onose at the end of July.
Following the departure of Brazilian coach Levir Culpi in July, Matheus Jesus, who Culpi brought to the club on loan at the start of the season, found game time hard to come by and his loan from Portuguese side Estoril was cancelled by mutual consent. New head coach Tsuneyasu Miyamoto moved further to re-shape the squad by bringing in Vissel Kobe striker Kazuma Watanabe on a permanent deal while the tall Shun Nagasawa moved in the opposite direction on loan until the end of the year.

In

PlayerTransferred FromFeeDateSource
34 Yuya Fukuda Higashi Fukuoka High SchoolUnknown11 Oct 2017
35 Tatsuya Yamaguchi Sagami Senior High SchoolUnknown18 Oct 2017
36 Riku Matsuda Maebashi Ikuei High SchoolUnknown28 Nov 2017
32 Ren Shibamoto Gamba Osaka U-23Promotion28 Nov 2017
37 Haruto Shirai Gamba Osaka U-23Promotion28 Nov 2017
13 Shunya Suganuma Montedio YamagataUnknown21 Dec 2017
21 Shinya Yajima Urawa Red DiamondsUnknown21 Dec 2017
38 Keito Nakamura Mitsubishi YowaUnknown26 Dec 2017
41 Kosei Tani Gamba Osaka U-23Promotion26 Dec 2017
8 Matheus Jesus EstorilLoan7 Mar 2018
50 Kosuke Onose Renofa YamaguchiUnknown31 July 2018
39 Kazuma Watanabe Vissel KobeUnknown13 Aug 2018

Out

PlayerTransferred ToFeeDateSource
18 Yōsuke FujigayaretiredN/A28 Nov 2017
29 Hiromu Kori Tokyo VerdyEnd of Loan18 Dec 2017
6 Kim Jung-ya Vegalta SendaiUnknown21 Dec 2017
N/A Tatsuya Uchida Tokyo VerdyUnknown21 Dec 2017
28 Shota Yomesaka Grulla MoriokaUnknown25 Dec 2017
53 Shuhei Akasaki Kashima AntlersLoan Return26 Dec 2017
16 Ken Tajiri Zweigen KanazawaLoan Extension27 Dec 2017
13 Hiroto Goya Tokushima VortisLoan28 Dec 2017
8 Yosuke Ideguchi Leeds UnitedUnknown4 Jan 2018
30 So Hirao Avispa FukuokaLoan5 Jan 2018
23 Shogo Nakahara Consadole SapporoLoan Return6 Jan 2018
N/A Takahiro Futagawa Tokyo VerdyLoan Extension11 Jan 2018
42 Bae Soo-yong Giravanz KitakyushuLoan1 Feb 2018
21 Shinya Yajima Vegalta SendaiLoan25 June 2018
39 Jin Izumisawa Tokyo VerdyLoan25 June 2018
8 Matheus Jesus EstorilLoan End11 Aug 2018
20 Shun Nagasawa Vissel KobeLoan13 Aug 2018

Coaching staff

The Coaching Staff for the 2018 J1 League season;
PositionStaff
First-team Manager Tsuneyasu Miyamoto
Head Coach Sanjiyoshi Noritada
Goalkeeper Coach Naoki Matsuyo
Physical Coach Yi Chang-yeob
Coach Arata Kodama
Coach Satoshi Yamaguchi

First team squad

Appearances and goals as of the beginning of the 2018 season.
On 13 January, Gamba's first 2 fixtures for the season were announced, at home to Nagoya Grampus and away to Kashima Antlers. The dates for the remaining games were made public on January 24.
Gamba endured something of a roller coaster ride during the 2018 season, a disastrous start under Brazilian coach Levir Culpi, including 5 losses in their first 6 games, saw Gamba spend most of the year facing the very real prospect of relegation to J2.
Fortunately after Culpi was replaced by Gamba U-23 coach and club legend Tsuneyasu Miyamoto, their fortunes began to change. Miyamoto's arrival initially brought better performances if not results, but along with returning injured players, midfield general Yasuyuki Konno and Brazilian attacker Ademilson as well as the arrival of the experienced forward Kazuma Watanabe from Vissel Kobe and winger Kosuke Onose from Renofa Yamaguchi, Gamba started to build a head of steam culminating in a 9-game winning streak which propelled them to the top half of the standings and a final position of 9th.
RoundDateTime*OpponentsH / AResult
F–A		ScorersAttendanceLeague
position
124 February 201814:30Nagoya GrampusHEndō 13', Nagasawa 79'28,68114th
23 March 201816:00Kashima AntlersA24,54517th
310 March 201813:00Kawasaki FrontaleA22,52018th
418 March 201815:00Kashiwa ReysolHHwang 21', 86'21,75818th
531 March 201815:00FC TokyoAHwang 45'+2, 58'21,94018th
68 April 201815:00Vissel KobeH20,60618th
711 April 201819:00Júbilo IwataHFábio 4', Hwang 86'12,61518th
814 April 201814:00V-Varen NagasakiA8,74518th
921 April 201819:00Cerezo OsakaHHwang 41'35,24217th
1025 April 201819:00Shonan BellmareA8,00217th
1129 April 201816:00Sagan TosuHKurata 68', Hwang 82', Matheus 90+2'18,64216th
122 May 201819:00Vegalta SendaiHKurata 62'11,82415th
135 May 201814:00Consadole SapporoA12,38216th
1412 May 201819:00Yokohama F. MarinosAFujimoto 52'21,57616th
1519 May 201814:00Urawa Red DiamondsH25,36116th
1618 July 201819:00Sanfrecce HiroshimaA7,83516th
1722 July 201819:00Shimizu S-PulseHHwang 75'17,54216th
1828 July 201819:00Kashima AntlersHYonekura 70'28,53416th
191 August 201819:00Júbilo IwataAHwang 82'13,01516th
205 August 201818:00Nagoya GrampusAAdemilson 22', Fujimoto 37'22,61517th
2110 August 201819:00FC TokyoHFábio 34', Ademilson 90+5'24,87917th
2215 August 201819:00Consadole SapporoHKurata 18'21,20318th
2319 August 201819:00Vegalta SendaiAWatanabe 27'16,11017th
2426 August 201819:00Sagan TosuA20,06017th
251 September 201819:00Kawasaki FrontaleHWatanabe 7', Fábio 55'19,68317th
2615 September 201819:00Vissel KobeAKurata 52', Hwang 68'25,48517th
2721 September 201819:30Shimizu S-PulseAHwang 1', 26'14,79017th
2829 September 201816:00Sanfrecce HiroshimaHHwang 84'34,66013th
296 October 201814:00Cerezo OsakaAAdemilson 45'34,30312th
3020 October 201815:00Yokohama F. MarinosHHwang 71', Onose 86'26,63010th
313 November 201816:00Urawa Red DiamondsAOnose 42', Hwang 62', Ademilson 69'43,9439th
3210 November 201815:00Shonan BellmareHHwang 60'23,5769th
3324 November 201814:00V-Varen NagasakiHOnose 10', Nakamura 52'27,8068th
341 December 201814:00Kashiwa ReysolAWatanabe 28, Ademilson 79'13,0679th

The following players appeared for Gamba Osaka during the 2018 J1 League:
= Substitute on, = Substitute Off, = Number of goals scored, = Yellow Card and = Red Card.

Emperor's Cup

Gamba entered the 2018 Emperor's Cup at the 2nd round stage where they were drawn at home to Kwansei Gakuin University on 6 June. The match ended in an embarrassing 2-1 defeat after extra time.
RoundDateTime*OpponentsH / AResult
F-A		ScorersAttendance
2nd round6 June 201819:00Kwansei Gakuin UniversityHMiura 89'3,103

Match Day Line-Ups

= Substitute on, = Substitute Off, = Number of goals scored, = Yellow Card and = Red Card.

J.League Cup Results

Having failing to qualify for the 2018 Asian Champions League, Gamba joined the J.League Cup at the group stage for the first time since 2014 when they went on to win the competition. The format was rejigged prior to the season with groups of 7 being replaced with groups of 4. Gamba were drawn in Group C along with Urawa Reds, Sanfrecce Hiroshima and Nagoya Grampus playing each team home and away.
Despite losing all three home group stage games, including two 4-1 reverses, Gamba qualified for the playoff round by virtue of 3 wins on the road and were paired with Júbilo Iwata. Home and away victories secured a passage to the quarter-finals where they faced off against Yokohama F. Marinos.
A 4-0 hammering in the home leg was followed by a 3-1 defeat in Yokohama to send Gamba crashing out 7-1 on aggregate.
RoundDateTime*OpponentsH / AResult
F–A		ScorersAttendance
17 March 201819:00Sanfrecce HiroshimaH10,058
214 March 201819:30Urawa Red DiamondsAHwang 10', Nagasawa 41', 54', Nakamura 87'21,897
34 April 201819:00Nagoya GrampusANagasawa 5', 16', 29', 41'10,122
418 April 201819:00Urawa Red DiamondsH9,516
59 May 201819:00Sanfrecce HiroshimaAMeshino 52', Senoo 65', Nishino 70'7,083
616 May 201819:00Nagoya GrampusHNagasawa 20'9,907
Playoff2 June 201816:00Júbilo IwataHHwang 7'8,519
Playoff9 June 201816:00Júbilo IwataAHwang 26', 50', 66'10,518
QF5 September 201819:00Yokohama F. MarinosH5,792
QF9 September 201819:00Yokohama F. MarinosAIchimi 52'11,207

= Substitute on, = Substitute Off, = Number of goals scored, = Yellow Card and = Red Card.

Squad statistics

Statistics accurate as of match played on 1 December 2018

Goalscorers

Assists

Gamba Osaka Under-23

Gamba Osaka's Under-23 side compete in the J3 League where they are allowed to name 3 overage players of which one must be a goalkeeper. On January 24, their fixtures for the 2018 J3 League season were announced. Due to there being only 17 teams in the league, rounds 17 and 22 were bye rounds while the round 8 fixture against FC Tokyo Under-23 was played at a later date so as to fall on a national holiday. The round 15 game against Thespakusatsu Gunma was postponed until August due to a large earthquake that occurred in Osaka in late June.
RoundDateTime*OpponentsH / AResult
F–A		ScorersAttendanceLeague
position
111 March 201814:00Grulla MoriokaHMeshino 66', 89', Ichimi 79'1,3303rd
217 March 201813:00Kagoshima United FCASuganuma 19'2,22311th
321 March 201814:00Blaublitz AkitaHFukuda 15', Ichimi 79'1,2244th
425 March 201813:00YSCC YokohamaA1,5095th
51 April 201814:00Fujieda MYFCHIchimi 24', Meshino 26', 77', Ko 80'1,3984th
68 April 201813:00Kataller ToyamaA1,7045th
715 April 201814:00AC Nagano ParceiroHIde 36'1,5756th
93 May 201818:00FC RyukyuATakagi 89'1,8249th
106 May 201814:00Azul Claro NumazuHTakagi 63', Senoo 70', Ichimi 88'1,2549th
1120 May 201814:00Giravanz KitakyushuAIzumisawa 31', Senoo 63', Ko 70', Shirai 88'4,3635th
826 May 201814:00FC Tokyo U-23HIzumisawa 36', Nakamura 77'1,5965th
122 June 201814:00Cerezo Osaka U-23AShirai 75'4,5515th
1310 June 201816:00Fukushima United FCHIchimi 90+4'9747th
1416 June 201817:00Gainare TottoriA2,4567th
1630 June 201817:00SC SagamiharaAOwn goal 18', Ko 32', Mori 50'3,2565th
1816 July 201817:30Kagoshima United FCH1,0547th
1922 July 201815:00Grulla MoriokaAIde 82'3,11511th
1518 August 201817:00Thespakusatsu Gunma*HNakamura 16', Senoo 25', Nishino 56', Fukuda 71'1,0506th
2026 August 201819:00YSCC YokohamaHKonno 3', Takagi 33', Ide 78'5684th
212 September 201819:00Thespakusatsu GunmaA3,3588th
2315 September 201818:00FC RyukyuHTakagi 45', Meshino 67'8045th
2423 September 201813:00Blaublitz AkitaASenoo 65'3,4187th
2530 September 201813:00FC Tokyo U-23ANakamura 6', Shibamoto 60'1,1787th
267 October 201814:00Gainare TottoriHIchimi 3', Ide 71'1,7785th
2713 October 201813:00Fujieda MYFCAMori 31'9456th
2821 October 201813:00Azul Claro NumazuAIde 60', Nakamura 77'4,0415th
2928 October 201814:00SC SagamiharaHFukuda 33', Ichimi 60'1,3105th
304 November 201814:00Kataller ToyamaHNishino 66'1,1055th
3111 November 201813:00Nagano ParceiroASenoo 75'2,8285th
3218 November 201813:05Fukushima United FCAShibamoto 68', Senoo 80', Shirai 90+3'1,0556th
3325 November 201814:00Giravanz KitakyushuHIchimi 50', Takagi 90+1'1,3346th
342 December 201813:00Cerezo Osaka U-23H3,7536th

Statistics accurate as of match played on 2 December 2018