The arrival of star Uruguayan striker Diego Forlan has transformed Cerezo Osaka into runaway favorites for the J. League title in the minds of many, but if manager Ranko Popovic agrees with them, he is keeping quiet.
Former Manchester United, Atletico Madrid and Inter Milan forward Forlan made global headlines when he signed with Cerezo for the 2014 season in January for an estimated $5.9 million, bringing a genuine big-name player to the J. League for the first time since the likes of Dunga and Hristo Stoichkov commanded the spotlight in the late 1990s.
Forlan joins a talented young Cerezo side that already looked a dark horse for the title after finishing fourth last year, but Popovic, who arrived to take over from Brazilian Levir Culpi in the offseason, is at pains to play down expectations.