On the 6th, manager Maciej Skorza held an online press conference, where he spoke about his enthusiasm for the Meiji Yasuda J1 League Round 38 match against Albirex Niigata [MATCH PARTNER Mitsubishi Motors], which will be held at Saitama Stadium on Sunday, December 8th.

(It's the final home game of the season, and Niigata is fighting to avoid relegation. How do you feel about the difficulty of this match?)
"Of course, we are aware of the situation at Albirex Niigata. However, we want to focus on our job and what we have to do. Every match is difficult in the J1 League, but when we face a team that is fighting to avoid relegation in the final match, I think our motivation level needs to be at its highest. In that regard, we will be playing the final match in front of a packed home crowd, and it will also be the last match for Shinzo (Koroki) and Tomoya UGAJIN, so I think everyone will be highly motivated."

(I think there are many important points to consider in order to beat Niigata, but what do you think about the Reds' offense?)
"Looking back at our previous match against Avispa (Fukuoka), we were unable to create many chances despite having possession of the ball for a long time, which I think is an area for improvement in our offense. This week we have been training on using the space behind the opponent and between the lines with good timing, so I hope to be able to play more effectively."

(Are there plans to use players who will be test players in this match?)
"Because of that, there will be some changes to the members from the previous round. However, there are also some things we want to continue from the previous round."

(What do you want to continue doing?)
"It's what we do in the build-up in zone one and zone two. It's also about the coordination between players who are playing in close zones."

(The group stage of the FIFA Club World Cup has been decided. How do you feel about this? Also, what do you think will be necessary to compete on an equal footing with the world?)
"It's an interesting draw. It's a big challenge for the Reds. Now we need to prepare as well as we can for next season and build a competitive team."

(At the draw for the FIFA Club World Cup 2025, Arsene Wenger, who was in charge of Nagoya Grampus, said, "I spoke with someone from the Reds last night, and they promised me that they will make sure to strengthen the team in the next transfer market." I don't think it's a secret that the Reds need to strengthen their team, but what do you think they need?)
"It's no secret that the Reds need new blood, new players. I think we need new players on every line. I also think we need strong characters to achieve our goals next season. We have to admit that this transfer window will be very important for us."

(Since Maciej took over as manager, the number of goals conceded has decreased, but I think the team is also taking the ball lower. So what does Maciej consider to be a good defensive team?)
"For me, defense starts with risk management during attacks. We have players who need to be well-formed when attacking. If the ball is lost, the first two or three seconds are crucial. The reaction to that switch is very important, but I'm not satisfied with it at the moment. I think it's one area we need to improve. High pressing is also very important, and although we've made progress, we're not yet at the level I want. I think the team understands and executes the rules for low defense. I think we're doing well when the opponent gets behind us, and we're also good at dealing with crosses. However, I think we could be more aggressive in not allowing crosses on the sides. Some players are changing their habits to meet what I want defensively. Some players are doing a great job in that regard. Take (Yusuke) Matsuo, for example. He's a player who is able to play while fully understanding what the team needs and what his job is at the time. Samuel (Gustavsson) and (Maeda) Naoki have also made great improvements defensively. I believe we can develop that even further."

(The final game of last season's J1 League was an away game against Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo. It was Ono Shinji's last game as an Koroki and Ugajin are also thinking in this way, but how do they want to send them off?)
"This game is very important for Shinzo and Uga, and I want to respect that. I think it's a big event for the whole club, and for our fans and supporters. However, our number one goal is to win this game. Barring any medical issues, I would like to include both Shinzo and Uga in the squad."

(You said that the FIFA Club World Cup group stage results were "interesting," but what exactly is interesting about them?)
"I expected there to be two European clubs in our group, so I think we'll be playing teams with very different styles. There's one European team, one Argentinian team and one Mexican team, so we'll be playing against different football cultures. That will be interesting."

(It seems like it will be difficult to analyze matches against teams from various countries.)
"I want to take things one step at a time. First I'm thinking about the Niigata match, and once that's over I'll think about the preseason. I want to proceed in that way."

(It must have been difficult to take charge midway through the season, but what are your thoughts on the past few months since you arrived at the Reds?)
"I have been involved in the professional soccer world as a manager for over 20 years. I believe that these past three months were the toughest in those 20 years. It was an extremely difficult period. There were various reasons for this, but there were some surprises for me. It was an extremely tough three months, but looking ahead to the future, it was a very good experience. Under great pressure, the players achieved their goal in the match against Sanfrecce (Hiroshima). I believe I was able to learn a lot about the team from these experiences."

[Urawa Reds Official Media (URD:OM)]