Gamba Osaka’s history is well known, with two top-flight titles and even more runner-up finishes, a dozen domestic cup finals and even an AFC Champions League crown. The Nerazzurri had a difficult 2021, however, and face a long road back to the summit. Can they fight their way up the table in 2022 under new leadership?

Last season

Gamba were dealt a terrible blow at the start of the season when they had a string of games postponed due to COVID-19 issues. Facing an uphill battle from that point on, they ultimately climbed their way out of the relegation zone to 13th place, but that difficult start made competing at the top like usual a near impossibility. The high-scoring Gamba Osaka teams of the past were a distant memory as the team registered only 33 goals all season despite a 38-game schedule.

Key additions

The biggest splash of the offseason is the loan signing of Mitsuki Saito from Shonan Bellmare. The talented midfielder spent part of last season on loan in Russia with Rubin Kazan and figures to be an impact player, much as he was for Bellmare in 2020 when he scored the MEIJI YASUDA J1 LEAGUE Goal of the Year.

Elsewhere, Kwon Kyung-won comes to Gamba from Seongnam FC in the K League to shore up the center of defense, along with Shota Fukuoka from Tokushima Vortis, who should help the team build from the back. Brazilian Dawhan has been brought in to be a tough tackler in the midfield, while Hideki Ishige joins from Shimizu S-Pulse to strengthen the right side after an impressive loan spell with Fagiano Okayama.

The key addition for Gamba, however, is probably not on the field of play but rather in the dugout. Manager Tomohiro Katanosaka joins from recently relegated Oita Trinita, where he took the club from J3 to J1 in three seasons.

Key departures

Kim Young-gwon heads back to the K League with a gap in central defense behind him, but the big loss for Gamba is Yosuke Ideguchi. As one of the most well-known midfielders in the league, Ideguchi’s move to Celtic FC in Scotland leaves a big hole and a big question mark for Katanosaka to consider.

Goal for 2022

In the last eight seasons, Gamba have won a title, finished second on two other occasions, won three domestic cups, and qualified for the AFC Champions League four times. Simply put, they usually expect to challenge for some silverware or to be in the mix with Japan’s elite clubs. With an incredibly difficult 2021 in the rearview mirror, Gamba will aim to be near the top yet again - and to challenge for AFC Champions League qualification. While some will feel it’s too big of a step in Katanosaka’s first season, a top-half finish should be the minimum expectation.

What to watch for

There was little attacking threat in Suita last season as Gamba’s frontline fell flat. Only three teams scored fewer goals than Gamba and all three of them were relegated.

If this team wants to compete with the best this season, they’ll need to find the back of the net much more often. Patric and his 13 goals from 2021 is a good option at striker, but they’ll need more from the supporting cast like Takashi Usami, Wellington Silva, and Hiroto Yamami.

Gamba have made investments to put more firepower in the band behind these options and a midfield with the likes of Saito and Ishige can provide danger in the final third if Katanosaka builds an attack that gets the most out of everyone.

Gamba should continue to defend well this season, but holes in the midfield and backline will make Dawhan and the center back additions an interesting watch in early 2022.

Adjust fast to a new system, find some goals, and Gamba could be back to the Gamba of old.