Gamba Osaka coach Akira Nishino says the warm conditions predicted for the second leg of the Asian Champions League final against Adelaide United at Hindmarsh Stadium on Wednesday night shouldn’t affect his players too much.
The Japanese side recorded its 3-0 victory over the Reds on a mild evening last week but could be playing for the title with the temperature hovering around the 30-degree mark in Adelaide.
Those summer-type conditions are tough at the best of times but Gamba is also backing up from a J-League match last Saturday whereas Adelaide has had an entire week to prepare for the clash.
Nishino said his players were no strangers to such conditions.
“Kick off is 7.30pm tomorrow. If the heat continues until then we might have a bit of a problem but Osaka is a hot place in summer and we usually play good soccer in hot weather so it shouldn’t be a problem,” he said through a translator.
The dry humour of Nishino also came through at the AFC’s official press conference with the coach admitting there was one part of preparing for a game in Australia that had caused discomfort.
He said the warm weather had brought out the flies which had harassed the squad since they arrived in Adelaide on Sunday.
“We are taking the flies’ message, ‘don’t stop!’ So hopefully we keep moving in the match,” he said.
Gamba Osaka is in the box seat to take the title after their emphatic victory at the Expo ’70 Commemorative Stadium last week.
But Nishino said his team wouldn’t be caught on the back foot against a desperate opponent and Gamba will be looking to strike early at Hindmarsh.
“To use this advantage (3-0) it’s very important to get the first goal,” he said.
“But we can’t think about it too much; get the rhythm and control of the match and hopefully it goes through.”
“Hopefully we can change the history of the Gamba team and show the pride of this Japanese soccer team.”
Much has been made of Adelaide United’s workload in recent months but Nishino said his players were also feeling the ‘stress’ of playing in two competitions at once.
He said the team’s 3-1 loss against Tokyo in the J-League on Saturday night may have been an isolated down performance in a long year.
“It’s been a tight schedule throughout the season,” he said. “But the players have been kept in good condition throughout.”
