Former Newcastle United striker Yoshinori Muto spearheads all-conquering Vissel Kobe's bid for a third straight J. League title when the new Japanese season kicks off on Friday.
The 32-year-old has refound his mojo since joining Kobe in 2021 and he played a crucial role in last season's league and cup double on his way to being named J. League player of the year.
Muto, who spent two frustrating years on Tyneside after a spell in Germany with Mainz, almost left Kobe over the winter before signing a new deal.
The former Japan international's presence will be crucial as Kobe chase honours at home and abroad, with the club already through to the knock-out stages of the AFC Champions League.
Kobe lost last weekend's curtain-raising Super Cup 2-0 to Sanfrecce Hiroshima and Muto knows they still have work to do as the season gets under way.
"Hiroshima looked a more complete side and we really looked off our game today," he said after the defeat, which Kobe followed up with a 4-0 midweek win over Shanghai Port in the AFC Champions League Elite.
"It would be all right if we had lost after doing all the right things but that wasn't the case."
Hiroshima's impressive Super Cup showing suggested they will again be in the title shake-up after finishing runners-up last season in their brand-new stadium.
Hiroshima were in contention until the final day and German coach Michael Skibbe will be hoping that new striker Ryo Germain can help them finish one place higher this time round.
Machida Zelvia are also likely to be in the title mix after finishing third last season on their top-flight debut.
The team from the Tokyo suburbs were the early front-runners thanks to their effective but unpopular route-one tactics, but fell away towards the end of the season.
- Holland checks in -
Yokohama F-Marinos have turned heads by hiring Gareth Southgate's former England assistant Steve Holland as their new coach.
Holland, who follows Australians Ange Postecoglou, Kevin Muscat and Harry Kewell in the Yokohama hot seat, started his reign with a 1-0 Champions League win over Shanghai Shenhua on Wednesday.
"I don't want 10 changes every game, I want a spine of a team that stays consistent, that supporters can recognise as a Marinos team," said Holland, who is taking charge of a side for the first time since 2008.
"We play too many matches to just play 11, so around that spine I need players who can come in and do a level of performance that is similar."
J. League heavyweights Kashima Antlers and Kawasaki Frontale will also have title ambitions, as will Urawa Reds, who must avoid being distracted by their mid-season appearance in the Club World Cup.
Urawa, three-times Asian champions, are Japan's only representatives in the expanded FIFA tournament in the United States where they face Inter Milan, Argentina's River Plate and Mexico's Monterrey.
After Machida's heroics last season, the J. League welcome another top-flight debutant in Fagiano Okayama.
The side from western Japan were promoted after winning the playoff final, and went up alongside Shimizu S-Pulse and Yokohama FC.
amk/dh
