<Match Preview>
The representative activity period has begun, and the league matches are on hold as Tokyo competes in the first match of the Emperor's Cup. The opponent is Fujidai University from Iwate Prefecture. This will be the 3rd appearance in the tournament after two years. In the last appearance at the 100th tournament, they defeated Sony Sendai FC, which belongs to the JFL and represents Miyagi Prefecture, to advance to the 3rd Round.
This tournament is often referred to as giant killing, where lower-tier teams frequently upset higher-tier teams, but for Tokyo, it is a match that must be won in order to secure the title. Even if the opponent is a university team, the attitude towards the official match remains unchanged.
Nevertheless, it remains a valuable opportunity to challenge player utilization and tactics in a real match setting. Coach Albert PUIG ORTONEDA has emphasized since the beginning of the season the importance of focusing on the team's growth along with a commitment to winning.
While overcoming the challenges highlighted in the first half of the season, we will deepen the sense of growth gained from the matches against Shimizu S-Pulse and Kashima Antlers before the break, and eagerly tackle the challenges of the next phase. Winning the first match is important, but more than that, whether we were able to challenge ourselves on the pitch in real matches for our growth will be the standard for assessing Tokyo's situation in the second half of the season.
[Interview with Coach Albert PUIG ORTONEDA]
Q: I think there is little information since the opponent is a university student. Are there any difficulties in the preparation stage?
A, there is no impact. Fortunately, we have been able to gather sufficient information. We are also able to hold meetings using video in the same manner as other official matches. The match against university students is expected to be a difficult one, as Tokyo experienced last season. We have communicated to the players that for tomorrow's match, we want to achieve growth as it is part of our growth process. Whether the opponent is a J-League team or a university, we must achieve growth through the match.
Q: Watching the match between Fujii University and Jobu University in the 1st Round, I felt that set plays were dangerous. What do you think?
A, I believe their most concerning point is their bold play due to their youth and their high-intensity defense. When comparing the J-League to university students, I think the significant difference lies in the tempo of the game. In J1 League matches, there are calm moments, and the game develops with a rhythm that alternates between slow and fast. On the other hand, in J2 League matches, there tends to be a prolonged period of high-intensity play. The lower the category, the more likely it is that, for example, university students will maintain a high-intensity flow for the full 90 minutes. When facing such teams, we must first compete with the same intensity. However, I want to express our playing style firmly without being influenced by the opponent and play in our own flow.We want to play in our own flow.
Q: If the goal is growth, I believe that continuing the league matches is important. Will the selection of members likely focus on the players participating in the league matches?
A, the Levain Cup was fought under various conditions in that manner. From here on, we want to always be conscious of winning in all league matches and the Emperor's Cup matches. We aim to maintain that until the end of the season and fight at 100% in every match.
Q: Is the Emperor's Cup a title to aim for?
Of course, I hope to win both the Emperor's Cup and the league matches. However, I think it is unrealistic to win every match. Rather than looking at the long term, I want to have the mindset of absolutely winning the match in front of us and focus on each game. I already have a good understanding of each player's strengths. After that, we will select the members based on the characteristics of the players and fight accordingly.
Q: There was a period when we struggled to score, but we are gradually increasing our goals. Where do you feel we have improved and grown?
A, I think I've gained confidence. That is always important.
Q: I think there can be upsets in the Emperor's Cup, how will you prepare for that?
I think it is important to start the match with full concentration as much as possible. We still have many areas to improve. In that sense, we will focus on growing with each match. Therefore, it is natural that we must start the match with strong concentration.
Q: What do you want to try in tomorrow's match to advance to the next stage?
As the team grows, we present new challenges, especially tactical ones, to the team and encourage them to absorb these. In that sense, there are still tactical themes that pose challenges, and I hope they can successfully connect that to growth tomorrow.
[Player Interview]
<Keita YAMASHITA>
Q: The opponent is Fujidai University, representing Iwate Prefecture. What kind of analysis have you conducted?
I think it's important that we can play our own football, regardless of the opponent. There are challenges in competing against university students, but since it's a tournament, we want to win decisively and ensure that both our performance and results are overwhelming.
Q: I think university students have an impression of being aggressive in ball contests and hard work.
A, I think the opponent has nothing to lose. During my university days, I also had the mindset of wanting to compete against professionals, and I believe I can perform better than usual. However, as J1 Tokyo, we have the pride of not being able to lose, so I want to clearly demonstrate the difference in strength and win.
Q: This will be the first match of the tournament this season. Is there a different kind of tension compared to usual?
A, since it's a one-shot match, I hope we can dominate from the first half and showcase our soccer style. It's important not to relax just because we are university students; each individual must play with responsibility, and if we can do that, I believe we can win.
Q: As a team, you will continue the new style of football that you have built so far in tomorrow's match, right?
A, it's not that we can play freely just because we're up against university students, and I think there will be times when things don't go well. However, I want to ensure that we can finish the match with both good content and results.
Q: The team is on a two-game winning streak in the league, scoring three goals in each match. What is your strategy going into tomorrow's game?
A, I want to score as many points as possible in every match. As a team, we have been able to score, but personally, I haven't been able to score, so I really want to play with the intention of scoring. I have a sense of what scoring looks like in my mind, so I want to achieve results in official matches and leave that as experience, and I want to take goals in any form.
Q: How do you want to make use of this match?
A, the only titles left to win are the Emperor's Cup and the league matches, and since the Emperor's Cup is a knockout competition where losing means elimination, I believe everyone has strong feelings about it and wants to do their best.
