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Nagoya Grampus will resume their J1 League campaign with a home game against Cerezo Osaka on Saturday.
The hosts are off to a torrid start this season with just two wins in their opening 12 games. They sit one place above the relegation playoffs and come into this game on the back of a 2-1 defeat to Yokohama.
The visitors are faring better and sit in the middle of the table. They will look to maintain their two-match unbeaten run as they visit Nagoya.
Nagoya Grampus vs Cerezo Osaka Head-to-Head
The two teams have met each other on 16 occasions across competitions, with the visitors enjoying a slight edge with seven wins to their name. Nagoya have won the contest on five occasions, with the remaining fixtures ending in draws.
The last time they met each other, it ended in a 2-0 win for Nagoya in the J League Cup final.
Nagoya Grampus form guide: L-D-L-D-L
Cerezo Osaka form guide: W-D-L-D-W
Nagoya Grampus vs Cerezo Osaka Team News
Nagoya Grampus
Kazuki Nagasawa has been out with a muscle injury since April. He was taken off the field in a J League Cup fixture and hasn't played since then. Jakub Swierczok, meanwhile, remains suspended after failing a doping test last year.
Injured: Kazuki Nagasawa.
Doubtful: None.
Suspended: Jakub Swierczok.
Unavailable: None.
Cerezo Osaka
Takashi Inui remains doubtful for this tie after being ignored yet again for a first-team start this season. Hinada Kita is also sidelined ahead of this fixture after picking up an injury during training.
Injured: Hinada Kita
Doubtful: Takashi Inui
Nagoya Grampus vs Cerezo Osaka Predicted XIs
Nagoya Grampus (4-2-3-1): Mitchell Langerak (GK); Yutaka Yoshida, Haruya Fujii, Shonnosuke Nakatani, Ryoya Morishita; Leo Silva, Sho Inagaki; Keiya Sento, Yoichiro Kakitani, Mateus; Yuki Soma.
Cerezo Osaka (4-4-2): Jin-Hyeon Kim (GK); Yusuke Maruhashi, Matej Jonjić, Ryuya Nishio, Riku Matsuda; Riki Harakawa, Jean Patric, Bruno Mendes, Hikaru Nakahara; Hiroto Yamada, Mutsuki Kato.
$1,000 Risk-Free Bet at BetMGM SB
Nagoya Grampus vs Cerezo Osaka Prediction
The visitors look to be slightly ahead in this tie both in terms of their history and recent form. Nagoya will no doubt look to bounce back after a topsy-turvy start to the season. They will also gain a lot of confidence after beating Cerezo in the J League Cup final last term.
Nonetheless, the perennial title contenders Cerezo Osaka remain strong favorites to win the tie.
Prediction: Cerezo Osaka 3-1 Nagoya Grampus
