On the 21st local time, after the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 Group Stage MD2 match against Inter Milan (Italy), Shusaku Nishikawa reflected on today's Trial, which was unfortunately lost, and spoke of his determination for the final match.

(About the goal conceded in added time of the second half)
"It was a very difficult situation, but we all wanted to defend to the end. Everyone, including the substitute players, was determined to defend well, so I feel that the fact that we were conceded at the very last moment made for a very cruel result. The fact that we were made to feel so frustrated makes me want to do more, and I would like to return to the Club World Cup as a team and as a club. It is rare to be able to experience such a serious match in Japan, and it was a great experience for both the young players and me. It made me want to become even stronger."

(Overall, we defended very well, but when we went on the offensive, we had some good chances on the counter. With the number of attacks and the duration of the attacks, wouldn't there be holes in the defense?)
"We spent a lot of time on the defensive in the first half, but the opponent was very good at creating time after stealing the ball. I think it's difficult to hold onto the ball after stealing it and get everyone moving with the same awareness, but I hope we can do that. When we weren't able to do that, everyone worked hard on defense and we were able to defend, so there are areas where we could have done better, but we need to accept it."

How do you reflect on the first goal conceded?
"I wish I could have kept a clear perspective. Everyone was so determined, so we needed to stay a little more calm as a team and fight more cunningly. I think that will be important in the future when playing soccer. If you look at the other teams in this Club World Cup, they are cunning. They use their time well, and that's something I need to learn from."

(In terms of being cunning, did the new 8-second rule make it difficult to use your time?)
"Today was the first time I felt that it would be difficult in that situation. Struggling to defend in our own half and then taking the ball and pushing forward becomes tough as we get to the end of the second half. If my teammates don't get moving, I can't either, and conversely, there were some things I was able to do up until then when I had a goal in mind, so I think everyone, including the substitute players, needs to have that awareness."

(Does the referee raising his hand and counting the seconds put pressure on you?)
"For me, a good indicator is when the referee raises his hand after the ball has been caught. From there, it's time to look for a spot where it's still okay, and at worst, you can pinpoint the spot and punt it, but that only works if your teammates move, so I think it's important for more players, including those coming on as substitutes, to show that kind of attitude."

(In the last tournament against Manchester City FC, we were on Trial defensive for 89 minutes, but today we were able to spend the time with hope after scoring a goal. What was your experience of this Trial like in that sense?)
"After we scored the first goal, the opponents were quite aggressive, so we prioritized defense and I think everyone was able to defend with a clear mind rather than thinking about attacking. However, we need to reflect on the fact that we haven't produced results, both as a team and as a club. The content was good, but the fact that we lost in the end shows the difference between us and the rest of the world. They have the ability to score, so I think we must not let this experience go to waste."

How did you feel at the end of Trial?
"I think we have now lost the hope that we were aiming for, and it was an emotion we had never experienced before; I think it was precisely because we participated in this tournament that we were able to feel that way. We have felt disappointment in our pursuit of our goals up until now, but today it weighed heavily on us. We need to put these emotions to use next time, and we cannot go back to Japan like this. Everyone has come here hoping for a good result, so right now we are thinking about winning against (CF) Monterrey and returning to Japan."

(After Trial, he looked like something I'd never seen before.)
"I think I let my emotions out, but I've never felt so frustrated before and it reminded me once again that I wanted to improve even more. I definitely want to keep doing my best so that I can become even stronger."

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