On the 23rd, manager Maciej Skorza held an online press conference, MEIJI YASUDA J1 100 YEAR VISION LEAGUE Round 12 match against Yokohama F･Marinos [MATCH PARTNER Mitsubishi Heavy Industries] to be held at Saitama Stadium on (Sat) 25th (Saturday).

(Considering the point difference with league leaders Kashima Antlers, it's true that aiming for the championship will be quite difficult. With that in mind, what kind of consensus should the Reds reach regarding what they should aim for in the remaining Trial?)
"First and foremost, we always aim to win the next Trial. We will continue to fight with that goal in mind, and ultimately we want to achieve the best possible result. We want to get good results in each Trial and aim for the highest possible position in Standings. That's regarding the results. As for the content of the game, for example, we struggle in the second half, especially towards the end, and I think there are areas where we need to improve, such as possession during difficult periods, so we will continue to work on improving those areas. Also, with injured players returning to training one after another, I am very interested in and looking forward to seeing how the team will perform when players like Hiiro Komori, Samuel (Gustafsson), and (Matsuo) Yusuke join the team."

(I think the answers you just gave were roughly half and half, but in terms of results, it's natural for professionals to aim to win Trial in front of them and to aim to climb as high as possible Standings, but I think there must be something extra that makes the players work harder and makes it clearer for the spectators. Is there anything that should be done to influence that aspect? Otherwise, teams that are likely to win will be able to work hard, but the teams that aren't will fall behind, won't they?)
"The players understand that we are currently in the process of changing the team's style. And if you look at the performance alone, we are not far from where we are aiming. I don't think the situation is hopeless, and we are aiming to consistently deliver what we are working on for 90 minutes. Also, considering that injured players will be returning, I think they will have a positive impact. That will also be a positive factor."

(Based on the content, it's true that you struggled in the latter half, or about the remaining quarter. But what's important is what you do during that time, or is it more influenced by how you spent the time before that? How do you see that?)
"I think both are important. In the last quarter of Trial, we need to be conscious of it from the first quarter. We're using a new way of pressing, but we're still struggling with things like transitioning from a 4-4-2 to man-to-man marking, or vice versa. I think it's the timing that's the issue. Mistakes are made there, and in the first half we can still cover that with our physical strength, but especially in the second half, fatigue makes us less effective, leading to more mistakes, and we can't cover those with physical strength. Also, I think decision-making in crucial moments of Trial is important, and we need to act responsibly. For example, there was such a moment when we conceded a goal against Kashima. I think determination is important in those final stages of the match. We need to be determined and raise the bar for ourselves."

(I know winning is difficult, but what do you think will be the key to victory in the next match against Yokohama F. Marinos?)
"Yokohama F. Marinos is a very attacking team. They have a lot of talent, especially up front. They have Jordi Crooks, Kai Tanimura, Jun Amano as an attacking midfielder, and Yuri Araujo. In the first half of the season against Yokohama F. Marinos, the transition was very important. I think winning the battle in the center against Riku Yamane and Kota Watanabe will be key. Also, Crooks has a good kick, so we have to be careful with set pieces. However, since it's a home game, we want to control Trial by keeping possession of the ball for as long as possible. We have been able to do that at home, so I believe the players will do their best and fight hard to get three points."

(Matheus Savio one of the Reds' key players, is suspended due to accumulated yellow cards. What are your thoughts on this?)
"Savio is a very important player, both in terms of build-up play and in Zone 3, so it's a tough situation for us. We're thinking about who would be the best fit for Savio's position. We tried out several options in yesterday's tactical training. We'll have another tactical training session tomorrow and then make our final decision."

(When do you think players like Gustafsson, Komori, and Matsuo might be likely to return? We're heading into Golden Week now, and we have five consecutive matches coming up, so could you tell us if you have a target timeframe for when they might be returning?)
"We have a pretty tough schedule ahead of us, playing five Trial in 15 days. Our hope is that all three of them will be back at some point during those five games."

(In the press conference after the last match against Kashima, you mentioned the current level of confidence and self-assurance as the difference between your team and Kashima. From your perspective as a manager, how do you feel the current level of confidence in the team is reflected in their play and game management?)
"Of course, if you keep winning, your confidence will grow. I think Kashima is in that situation right now. We are in the opposite situation. When you consider the club as a whole, the locker room, and the players, we are going through a difficult time. But as professionals, we also need to face these difficulties head-on. In this situation, I think the Reds players need to show their qualities and demonstrate that they can fight hard even in difficult circumstances."

(Regarding your level of confidence, unlike physical sprinting ability, I think it can be boosted by something, but have you found any such trigger in this week's training? Is it difficult to boost your confidence through some kind of trigger?)
"The only thing we need to change the situation is a win. A win itself. What we need to do now is to be fully responsible and focused on what we need to do when kickoff comes in at 2pm this Saturday."

(In 2025, Urawa Reds actual playing time was 55 minutes and 16 seconds, ranking 5th out of 20 teams in the J1 League. For 2026, that's 4 minutes shorter at 51 minutes and 9 seconds, placing them 12th out of 20 teams in the J1 League and last out of 10 teams in the EAST division. What are your thoughts on this 4-minute reduction?)
"With our current defensive approach of applying more high pressure, I think there will be more transitions between plays. That could be a contributing factor."

(This season, the team has the highest total number of tackles in the entire J1 League, but the success rate is slightly lower. Based purely on the data, wouldn't they be able to maintain possession of the ball if they made higher-quality tackles?)
"I agree. In the Trial-Trial feedback, we talk about closing down the opponent more and trying to win the ball back more effectively. We're demanding more effective play, and I think that's one area for improvement."

(The league regulations have changed a bit this season, which is causing some strange phenomena. The Reds are currently in 7th place, yet GD difference is +1. Kashima has only conceded 5 goals, but the league is very close, with no significant differences in goals scored, goals conceded, or GD difference between 2nd and 10th place. It seems that only the Reds' six consecutive losses are causing a stir. What are your thoughts on that?)
"First of all, we want to get as many points as possible in these three home games. And I don't really agree with the expression 'six consecutive losses.' For example, before the Kashima match, we worked really hard and got one point against Tokyo Verdy. Although we lost in the penalty shootout, we earned the point through hard work, so I see it differently from a defeat in 90 minutes."

(But 13 goals conceded is the third fewest in the league?)
"That's true, and our expected goal percentage is higher than last year, and we're scoring more goals than last year, but we haven't quite translated that into results yet, so I think the challenge going forward is to get those results."

[Urawa Reds Official Media (URD:OM)]