Football Season Guide

Fagiano Okayama will be J1 debutants this term after a historic 2024. For long last year it looked like another mid-table campaign for the modest team. However, the ability to win 11 matches with the same 1:0 scoreline proved decisive to see Fagiano sneak into the play-offs. Conceding only 29 goals in 38 rounds was vital for that. Then in an impressive style 3:0 and 2:0 wins against Montedio Yamagata and Vegalta Sendai meant that Fagiano wrote a new page in their history and got promoted to the top flight for the first time ever. Haruka Motoyama and Jumpei Hayakawa are the only important players to leave so far. An upgrade on the latter was signed already though. Ataru Esaka returns from the K-League and he is expected to become key figure for Fagiano. Hiroto Iwabuchi scored 13 league goals last season, 7 of those in 1:0 wins, and he will once again be the main hope up front. Of course, Gleyson was expected to be the top goalscorer in 2024 before sustaining a nasty injury 8 rounds in. Now fully fit again the Brazilian hopes to be supporting Iwabuchi. Even greater pressure will be put on the back line in 2025. Fagiano’s defence excelled last season but against better opponents it might struggle. The only notable new addition in defence is full-back Hijiri Kato. Keeping all the regulars from last season is a plus though. In the heart of the midfield it seems a pair of 34-year-olds (Ibuki Fujita and Ryo Takeuchi) will have to be relied upon once more. Ryo Tabei should also see a lot of use as he is Fagiano’s main enforcer and one of the best holding midfielders in J2 last season.