On the 31st, after the Meiji Yasuda J1 League Round 28 match Albirex Niigata [MATCH PARTNER Kokudai Seminar], Kai Shibato, who was playing for the first time this season, looked back on today's Trial.

(Was there any excitement after competing for the first time in a while?)
"Yes, it's been over a year since I last played in a league match, so on top of that, hearing the cheers of the Reds fans and supporters when I joined the team made me feel like I've finally come back, and that I've taken another step forward. I had very complicated emotions, but it really gave me strength."

(How did you feel about your role when you came on with the score at 1-0?)
"We've been turned around a lot in the last few Trial, so I had an image of what would happen, and I was sure there was something I could bring to the team, so even though I don't think I was at 100 percent today, I'm very happy that we were able to win a game today."

What instructions did the coach give you when you entered the pitch?
"Basically, I was told to focus on defense, and since Matsuo (Yusuke) was in the space in the middle, I was told to use that space well and tighten up the middle."

(It was a period when you were being pushed back, but were you thinking that you could steal the ball and score another goal?)
"Yes, I did feel that if we could have scored one more point at some point it would have been easier, but it was a difficult period and I think the team was united in our decision on what to score. I think this win will definitely be valuable for the future."

(Of course, they were good at dealing with the space behind them, but when they got the ball, they also seemed to be keen to go forward.)
"Yes, when I was on the pitch I was paired with (Matsumoto) Yasushi as a defensive midfielder, and he's a really thoughtful player who is well-balanced and can play both forward and backward, so I watched him and did what I wanted to do, and I relied on him in some ways. I think we were able to have a relationship today where we supported each other and he supported me. I hope we can continue to do this at a higher level."

(It's been a while since you last played in a league match, so I imagine you're limited to the players who originally played with you.)
"We do this in practice, and I was very careful about it today. We especially communicated with the players behind us, and when the opponent had the ball, we worked together to understand who was going to get where, and where the openings were. I thought it might be difficult when I came on, but the team was better coordinated than I expected, so I think things went relatively smoothly."

(You've said before that you need to push yourself further, but from that perspective, how do you see yourself being able to improve even further from here?)
"My condition has improved a lot, and even at this level I think I'm at a level where I can close in and keep up, so that's one of my strengths and I want to show that on the pitch. In addition to that, I want to focus on what the team is doing and increase the number of options I can make so that I can be a greater help to the team. In terms of breaking through, I think I need to work on that more in practice, so rather than saying 'OK, let's do it' in Trial, I want to practice and then have it naturally come out in Trial."

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[Urawa Reds Official Media (URD:OM)]