'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
As the 2021 J1 League campaign comes to an end, Cerezo Osaka entertain Nagoya Grampus at Yodoko Sakura Stadium on Saturday.
The hosts have lost two games in a row in the league while Nagoya have been unbeaten in their last four league games. In their previous outing, the visitors overcame Gamba Osaka 3-1 thanks to three first-half goals and a brace from Jakub Świerczok.
Nagoya can only qualify for the AFC Champions League playoffs if they win both of their remaining fixtures and third-placed Vissel Kobe loses both of theirs.
Cerezo Osaka vs Nagoya Grampus Head-to-Head
There have been 64 meetings between the two sides across all competitions. The game has been closely contested between the two rivals, with the visitors having a 29-26 lead in wins. The spoils have been shared nine times between them in this fixture.
The last six games in this fixture have produced conclusive results with four wins for the visiting side and two for the hosts. This will be the fourth meeting of the year between them. In the three games so far, Cerezo have recorded just one win, in the Emperor's Cup quarter-finals, while Nagoya have two wins.
They last squared off in the J League Cup final last month at Saitama Stadium. The game ended in a comfortable 2-0 win for Nagoya Grampus.
Cerezo Osaka form guide (all competitions): L-L-W-L-W
Nagoya Grampus form guide (all competitions): W-D-W-W-L
Cerezo Osaka vs Nagoya Grampus Team News
Cerezo Osaka
Takashi Inui, Adam Taggart, Van Lam Dang and Yuta Koike won't be able to make an appearance for the hosts in this game on account of injuries.
Injured: Van Lam Dang, Yuta Koike, Takashi Inui, Adam Taggart
Suspended: None
Nagoya Grampus
Yuichi Maruyama, Hiroyuki Abe and Takuji Yonemoto remain sidelined with injuries for the visiting side.
Injury: Yuichi Maruyama, Hiroyuki Abe, Takuji Yonemoto
Suspension: None
Cerezo Osaka vs Nagoya Grampus Predicted XI
Cerezo Osaka Predicted XI (4-4-2): Jin-hyeon Kim; Ryosuke Shindo, Riku Matsuda, Ayumu Seko, Naoto Arai; Hiroshi Kiyotake, Hiroaki Okuno, Toshiyuki Takagi, Riki Harakawa; Mutsuki Kato, Hiroto Yamada.
Nagoya Grampus Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Mitchell Langerak; Yutaka Yoshida, Min-Tae Kim, Shinnosuke Nakatani, Kazuya Miyahara; Kazuki Nagasawa, Sho Inagaki; Ryoya Morishita, Naoki Maeda, Yoichiro Kakitani; Jakub Swierczok
Cerezo Osaka vs Nagoya Grampus Prediction
Cerezo Osaka have scored a goal more than Nagoya Grampus but have let in 20 goals, which has meant that a mid-table finish is on the cards for them this term.
Nagoya have enjoyed a good run against the hosts this year and, given their current form, they are the favorites to secure victory.
Prediction: Cerezo Osaka 1-2 Nagoya Grampus
