No one is looking forward to the start of the J. League season more than Urawa Reds.
The Saitama giant, by far the biggest club in Japan with a wealth of riches and attendance figures others can only dream of, is keen to wash over the memory of last year's spectacular end-of-season implosion and set about reclaiming the title it won for the first time in 2006.
With a lead of seven points over nearest rival Gamba Osaka with just four matches to go, Reds limped to two scoreless draws and a defeat to go into the final day just one point ahead of Kashima Antlers, a team which suddenly found itself in real contention following a record streak of wins.