On the 4th, head coach Maciej Skorza held an online press conference, where he spoke about his enthusiasm for the match against Montedio Yamagata in the Round of 16 (4th round) of the Emperor's Cup JFA 105th All Japan Football Championship, which will be held at ND Soft Stadium Yamagata on Wednesday, August 6th.

(You were reappointed as manager last season in the autumn, so this will be your second summer in Japan. How do you feel about spending that time there?)
"It feels hotter this year than it did two years ago. I think we need to carefully consider the amount of training, intensity, and load we're doing. Still, I think we need to do high-intensity training once a week. This is the main tactical training day, and we hold training on that day in the afternoon. Yesterday was that day, and we started training at 5:30 pm. We can train in a better environment than in the morning."

(Even Japanese people are finding this summer hot, so perhaps it must be quite unbearable for the Polish coach Maciej?)
"The heat can make things difficult, but I don't complain. I personally like hot places."

(Tohoku is said to be a cool region in Japan, but Yamagata is a basin and is known for being extremely hot. What are you conscious of and careful about in the upcoming match against Yamagata?)
"I think our motivation and positive attitude are important. Two years ago, when we played Yamagata away in a cup match, we were practically asleep in the first half. We made three substitutions at halftime and ended up winning 1-0 with a goal from (Ito) Atsuki, but we may have underestimated our opponents at the start of the first half. To avoid that, I've been telling the players to start the first half aggressively and play with high intensity."

(There are 26 registered players, excluding JFA and J.League special designated players. What do you think about the number of players being reduced since the start of this season?)
"The number of players has changed, the situation has changed, but the process of bringing in new players continues. I think we need some fresh blood in the dressing room, and I hope we can add some new players."

(Winning the Emperor's Cup qualifies you for the AFC Champions League 2, and in 2021 you won the tournament and also became the AFC Champions League champion. What are your aspirations for this tournament, where you can win the title with Trial?)
"First of all, I think the Emperor's Cup trophy itself is very important. We want to win it. As you said, it is also important that it leads to the AFC Champions League (ACL) 2. When we think about the next (FIFA) Club World Cup, I think this is also one path. This is because if we win ACL 2, we will be able to participate in the ACL Elite the following season, and if we win there, we will be able to play in the Club World Cup. In that sense, the Emperor's Cup is a very important tournament for us, and we will take on the challenge seriously."

(In the Emperor's Cup, they will face Yamagata of the J2 League, but just as they defeated Gamba Osaka of the J1 League in the previous round, I don't think there is any opponent in the J2 League that they can easily beat. The players have said that it is important not to let their guard down, but is it possible to see players becoming careless when they are not getting into a good position in Trial?)
"That's not the only reason. Sometimes the opponent plays very well and we can't play our own game at the start. Our next opponent has already shown their ability to score multiple goals in the match against Gamba OSAKA, and I think their wingers are particularly dangerous, but I believe that if we go into a team like this with sufficient motivation, we have the power and skill to beat them. I hope we can play aggressively from the start."

(Regarding games played in the heat, I feel that the intensity of J.League Trial drops for both teams in the summer. Has there been any change in the game plan that Coach Maciej takes into account in summer Trial? How do you view the characteristics of games in the summer? Considering that substitute players are important in summer games, has there been any change, such as more careful consideration of who the substitutes will be?)
"That's a good question. First of all, we have to take into account the fact that we have two Trial with only two Trial between them, and we need to manage these two Trial. We need to think about how we can prepare to win both games, and how we can select our team members while avoiding injuries to players. For example, in the recent match against Avispa (Fukuoka), we started the second half with a high press, but after five to ten minutes, we saw that the players were fatigued due to the heat, so we changed to a mid-block formation before going out. As was the case in the Avispa match, I think that early substitutions will be necessary in hot weather."

(Even in global tournaments where teams from different categories compete, it's easy for rivals to rise to the occasion. I think it's common for the lower-category teams to become highly motivated, while the higher-category teams have to accept this. What kind of mindset, play, and actions are needed to play aggressively from the first half even in such situations?)
"First of all, we have to control the game. To do that, I think it's important for us to have possession of the ball. We also need to be able to switch gears when we lose the ball. We also need risk management when attacking. When watching the video of the Gamba match, Yamagata is a team that can pass the ball from zone 1 to zone 3 in an instant. They use their wingers, especially Kita (Ryoma) and Sakamoto (Wataru), to do that kind of play."

(Yamagata recently beat Gamba OSAKA, but they are struggling in the league. Will that be a factor in your decision?)
"Of course, I'm watching the league, and they've won their most recent away Trial in good form, so I think they'll be highly motivated and taking a positive approach to things when they play in this Trial. In my analysis of Yamagata, their current J2 League Pos is not the most important thing. Since the manager was changed last month, they have become even more organized in defence. When the whistle blows for kick-off, I think they'll be thinking only about how to beat Urawa Reds, not the league Standings. I've won the cup competition in my country three times, but when playing against lower league teams, there are situations that can be considered traps. We have to be very careful."

I would like to ask you about the J2 League as a whole. It seems like a tough league, with teams like Mito Hollyhock that don't have a lot of money leading the league, teams that have difficulty moving up even with the money, and clubs that are considered prestigious, with teams that have been in the league for over a decade. What is your view of this, Coach Maciej?
"I think the J2 League is a very difficult league, especially physically. I don't follow the J2 League in detail, but when I look at the teams that get promoted, I see that there are a lot of teams that are very organized and can play with a high level of intensity. So when you play against teams like that, the physical aspect becomes very important."

(Rain is forecast for Yamagata Prefecture on the day of Trial. What are your thoughts on this?)
"Honestly, I hadn't checked the weather in Yamagata yet, so thank you for the information. If it rains, there will be some things I need to change about my play, but I would like to be prepared to play in any weather."

(Urawa Reds always play at Saitama Stadium and Ohara Training Ground, which have pitch conditions that are rare even in Japan, but there may be times when they have to play on pitches in poor conditions, and on top of that, bad weather could be a negative factor.)
"I agree with that, but if the pitch conditions were bad, it would be bad for both teams. I think the Reds' players are capable of adapting to any conditions and they wouldn't use bad conditions as an excuse."

[Urawa Reds Official Media (URD:OM)]