Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
How they qualified: Runners-up – J.League 2011
Established 1991
Nickname Grampus
Home stadium Mizuho Athletic Stadium (20,059)
Website www.nagoya-grampus.jp
Club Honours
J.League champions 1 – 2010
Emperor’s Cup winners 2 – 1999, 95
Previous ACL appearances
2009 – Semi-finals
2011 – Round of 16
Runners-up in the Asian Cup Winners’ Cup in 1997, Nagoya Grampus wallowed in mediocrity for much of the decade that followed. But the former club of Gary Lineker and Keisuke Honda have emerged as a genuine force in the J.League in recent seasons.
With Serbian football legend Dragan Stojkovic at the helm, the club have qualified for the AFC Champions League in three of the last four seasons, winning their maiden J.League title in 2010 and finishing just a point behind champions Kashiwa Reysol last year.
Stojkovic has continued the rebuilding work begun by the club’s former Dutch coach Sef Vergoossen, melding together a squad that includes experienced Japan internationals (goalkeeper Seigo Narazaki, defender Marcus Tulio Tanaka and forward Keiji Tamada), talented youngsters (midfielders Kensuke Nagai and Mu Kanazaki) and solid imports (Australian striker Josh Kennedy).
Having reached the AFC Champions League semi-finals in 2009, Nagoya suffered a disappointing early exit last year when they went out in the round of 16 after losing 2-0 to Suwon Bluewings.
Expectations
After reaching the knockout rounds in their first two appearances in the AFC Champions League, Nagoya are expected to get past the group stage once again. However, a key area of concern that they must address is their away form as they have lost five of their last six AFC Champions League games on the road.
Coach
Dragan Stojkovic
After ending his playing career at Nagoya Grampus in 2001, Dragan Stojkovic returned to the club seven years later after serving as president of the Yugoslavia Football Association and Red Star Belgrade. Despite his lack of coaching experience, he led Grampus to third place in his debut season, an appearance in the AFC Champions League semi-finals the following year and their first J.League title in 2010.
Did you know?
Before he became the manager of English side Arsenal in 1996, Arsene Wenger had a successful 18-month spell in charge of Nagoya Grampus. The Frenchman led the club to victory in the 1995 Emperors’ Cup and coached the club for much of the following season, when they finished runners-up in the J.League, before he moved to England to join the Gunners.
Key Player
Marcus Tulio Tanaka
A key member of the Urawa Reds side that won the AFC Champions League in 2007, Marcus Tulio Tanaka joined Nagoya Grampus in 2010 and helped his new club to lift their first J.League title that season. A versatile defender who is strong in the air and a good distributor of the ball, Tanaka also chips in with his fair share of goals for his teams.