Cerezo Osaka VS Gamba Osaka Preview

[(Cerezo Osaka) Strength]:
1. Cerezo Osaka finished last season with 52 points, placing 10th in the league. They are determined to secure a victory in their first home game of the new season.
2. Cerezo Osaka achieved 8 wins, 6 draws, and 5 losses at home last season, showing stronger point-earning ability at home compared to away.

[(Cerezo Osaka) Weakness]:
1. Cerezo Osaka's key foreign player Lucas from last season is injured and is likely to miss this match.
2. The team's main forward from last season, Rafael, has left the club. The loss of their primary scorer raises doubts about their scoring ability this new season.
3. Cerezo Osaka scored 60 goals but conceded 57 last season. Their offensive firepower is decent, but their defensive performance was poor.

[(Gamba Osaka) Strength]:
1. Gamba Osaka finished last season with 57 points, ranking 9th in the league. Facing opponents with a lower league ranking from last season, they aim to start the season with a win.
2. Gamba Osaka scored 53 goals and conceded 57 last season. Their higher league ranking than Cerezo Osaka was due to more wins, securing more points in crucial matches and demonstrating greater stability.

[(Gamba Osaka) Neutral]:
1. In the last two encounters between the two teams, each side secured one win and one loss. Recent head-to-head records show balanced results with little gap between them.
2. Gamba Osaka appointed new coach Jens Wissing for the new season. He previously served as an assistant coach at Salzburg and Benfica, bringing European concepts to the team.

[(Gamba Osaka) Weakness]:
1. Gamba Osaka's top new signing, Asahi Uenaka, suffered a serious injury and will be out long-term, continuing to miss this match.
2. Gamba Osaka recorded 5 wins, 5 draws, and 9 losses away from home last season, with a nearly 50% loss rate, indicating poor away performance.

[Tips]:
Cerezo Osaka lost their top scorer Rafael from last season, raising doubts about their offensive capabilities this season. The newly assembled attacking lineup's effectiveness is questionable. Gamba Osaka welcomed new coach Jens Wissing this season, whose performance remains unknown. However, it is foreseeable that the new coach will aim to prove his ability with a strong performance against the city rivals. Comparatively, the more stable away team, Gamba Osaka, are favored to avoid defeat.

[Recommended]:
Gamba Osaka (+0/0.5)