FOOTPICKS’ 2024 J1 League Hot Picks #1: Sanfrecce Hiroshima and Urawa Reds

Hiroshima aim to win fourth league title after improving attacking forces

Although Sanfrecce Hiroshima have been without a league title since 2015, they are now looking to regain the title under Michael Skibbe entering his third year at helm.

Hiroshima have retained most of their key players after finishing third in the last season as well as making up pin-point reinforcements. With back three of Sho Sasaki, Hayato Araki and Tsukasa Shiotani, and Japan national team goalkeeper Keisuke Osako, they can be regarded as one of the solidest defences in the league. Last season, they conceded 28 goals, the second-fewest after Urawa Reds.

The midfielders are encouraging too. Academy graduates Makoto Mitsuta, Takumu Kawamura and Mutsuki Kato are all dynamic in attack and defence, while Marcos Junior, the J1 top scorer in 2019, makes the difference.

On the other hand, they scored only the seventh most goals despite recording the most shots in the league last season. To address this issue, Yuki Ohashi was brought from Shonan Bellmare. Making a late breakthrough last season, the 27-year-old striker is likely to be the last piece of the puzzle for Hiroshima in their bid to regain the title.

Other back-up players such as Toshihiro Aoyama, entering his 22nd season at Hiroshima, and the veteran Yoshifumi Kashiwa, youngsters Motoki Ohara and Yotaro Nakajima, are eagerly awaiting their turn. Their level of tactical infilterlation and team cohesion are probably one of the best in the league.

Most encouraging of all is the presence of coach Skibbe. The German coach has already proven his ability in the last two years to instil a fast, vertical football style in the team and to motivate the players. The completion of the long-awaited new stadium should also give them a boost. The time is ripe for their fourth league title.

(by Yuhei Harayama)

Predicted Lineup: 3-2-4-1

Major Arrivals

• Yuki Ohashi (from Shonan Bellmare)
• Motoki Ohara (from Mito HollyHock)
• Osamu Henry Iyoha (from Kyoto Sanga FC)

Under Høgmo, the brand new Urawa are determined to score more goals

Last season Urawa Reds won the AFC Champions League for the third time in May, but the three domestic title – J1, the League Cup, and the Emperors’ cup – were out of reach. Under Maciej Skorża, while they conceded a league-low 27 goals, the domestic failures were largely down to their inefficient attack recording only 42 goals last season, the seventh-highest in the league.

After the departure of the Polish former manager, Per-Mathias Høgmo took over the role.

Having led the national team in his home country of Norway, the 64-year-old manager has been known for his ability to boost attacking power. To achieve this, the club has been very busy to reinforce its squad.

At centre-forward, Jose Kante has been replaced by the league’s top scorer in 2022, Thiago Santana from Shimizu S-Pulse. On the wings, they brought Norwegian international Ola Solbakken from AS Roma and Naoki Maeda from Nagoya Grampus, as well as Yusuke Matsuo, who was on loan at KVC Westerlo. Together with existing players such as Shinzo Koroki, Shoya Nakajima, Takahiro Sekine and Yoshio Koizumi, the attacking forces are now thicker than ever.

The defence remains the same this season with goalkeeper Shusaku Nishikawa and centre-backs Alexander Scholz and Marius Høibråten providing iron walls. While Takahiro Akimoto and Takuya Ogiwara moved to Europe and left holes on the left hand side, captain Hiroki Sakai maitains his regular position at right back, and Swedish international Samuel Gustafson, who was coached by Høgmo at BK Häcken, is likely to anchor the midfield. A defensive midfield sensation, Atsuki Ito has a big potential to become the face of the league. 

It remains to be seen how the Norwegian coach will instill his philosophy into one of the biggest powerhouses in Japanese football, but the pre-season camp has seen a renewal of the team into a more attacking side. The squad is strong enough to solve the problems of last season and to win the league for the second time in the J.League era, the sixth time in the country’s top division.

(by Yosuke Ikushima)

Predicted Lineup: 4-1-2-3

Major Arrivals

• Thiago Santana (from Shimizu S-Pulse)
• Ola Solbakken (from AS Roma)
• Naoki Maeda (from Nagoya Grampus)
• Samuel Gustafson (from BK Häcken)
• Yusuke Matsuo (from KVC Westerlo)
• Ryoma Watanabe (from FC Tokyo)
• Tomoya Ugajin (from FC Gifu)