Taking a short break from their domestic title race, Kashima Antlers will welcome Brighton & Hove Albion to Japan for a friendly clash on Wednesday night in Tokyo.
The Antlers have enjoyed a positive run of form ahead of a match versus Premier League opposition, who are preparing for life under new management following the departure of Roberto De Zerbi.
After finishing either fourth or fifth during the last three campaigns, Kashima Antlers are on a mission to return to continental football via the J1 League this year, with Wednesday’s ‘hosts’ currently embroiled in a three-sided pursuit of the Japanese crown.
The Antlers are occupying third position in the top-tier standings ahead of the final 14 matches of the 2024 season, level on points with Gamba Osaka in the second AFC Champions League spot and five points behind leaders Machida Zelvia, who are aiming to secure their first-ever J1 League title.
Kashima come into this week’s friendly clash with Brighton in high spirits having won three of their last four matches across the J1 League and Japanese Cup, including a 2-1 success over FC Tokyo on Saturday, when goals either side of the half-time break from Shintaro Nago and Kimito Nono secured maximum points.
The Seagulls should be mightily pleased that Wednesday’s match is not taking place at the Kashima Soccer Stadium, where Ranko Popovic‘s troops are unbeaten during the 2024 league campaign, winning eight and drawing four of their 12 top-tier contests at the venue.
Having lifted eight titles since the J1 League’s inception, Kashima are still referred to by sections of the Japanese media as “the perennial winners”, despite the Antlers only finishing top of the pile once during the last 14 years.
With former head coach De Zerbi departing to Ligue 1 giants Marseille at the conclusion of the 2023-24 term, Brighton’s highly-rated succession planning was put into action during the early part of the summer, with Fabian Hurzeler being identified as the man to take charge on the South Coast.
In typical Seagulls fashion, the 31-year-old arrives in the Premier League as a relatively-inexperienced coach, but the German has enjoyed major success during the elementary stage of his managerial career, guiding St Pauli back to the Bundesliga for the first time since 2011 last season.
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