Gamba travel to South Australia for the first time since beating Adelaide 5-0 on aggregate to win the 2008 AFC Champions League, which was secured following a 2-0 win in the second leg of the final at Hindmarsh Stadium.
The Reds, though, are riding high after kicking off their return to the continental competition with a 2-1 win over Bunyodkor in Tashkent two weeks ago.
But after seeing Adelaide lose 1-0 to Central Coast Mariners in the A-League on Saturday, coach John Kosmina is wary of a wounded Gamba, who lost 3-0 at home to Pohang Steelers in their AFC Champions League Group E opener two weeks ago.
“You look at Gamba’s history and how successful they’ve been, and you look at them getting beaten 3-0 at home, you’ve got to say Pohang were very well prepared, so Gamba will be on the trail for revenge,” said Kosmina.
“They won’t want to lose another game, so it’s going to be a tough one for us.
“The J.League improves incrementally season by season and it is one of the best competitions in the world from a technical viewpoint, and they want success, the Asian Champions League is massive and the Japanese teams have been successful so they want to be successful.
“They’re not coming to get a point, they’re going to come here to try and win.” Gamba head to Australia after losing 2-1 to Cerezo in the Osaka derby on Saturday as new coach Jose Carlos Serrao lost a third consecutive game at the start of his reign after being out played by Pohang at Expo '70 Commemorative Stadium two weeks ago.
After making a flying start against Gamba, Pohang entertain Bunyodkor following a 2-2 draw with Busan I'Park in the K-League on Saturday.
Elsewhere, UAE League champions and opening day winners Al Jazira entertain Qatar’s Al Rayyan with new coach Caio Junior in charge after the Brazilian replaced Franky Vercautern less than two days after the 4-2 comeback win over Nasaf in Group A.
With club officials citing irreconcilable between the Belgian and the players, former Vissel Kobe coach Caio will look to build on his 2010 Qatar Stars League title success with Al Gharafa after returning to the region following a six week spell in Brazil with former club Gremio.
Also in Group A, Iran’s Esteghlal entertain Nasaf looing to build on their 1-0 win in Qatar after Goran Jerkovic struck a stoppage time winner.
In Group B, two-time champions Al Ittihad travel to Qatar to face Al Arabi hoping to build on a 4-0 victory over Pakhtakor, while the Uzbek Cup winners will look to bounce back at home to Baniyas, who began their maiden AFC Champions League campaign with a 2-0 home win over Al Arabi.
Al Arabi will also have a new face in the dugout as Frenchman Pierre Lechantre, who has had earlier stints in Qatar with Al Rayyan and Al Siliya, has replaced Abdallah Saad.
Finally in Group F, Japanese Emperor’s Cup winners FC Tokyo welcome Korea’s Ulsan Hyundai to the National Stadium in Tokyo, while A-League champions Brisbane travel to China to face Beijing Guoan.
In the opening round of fixtures, FC Tokyo beat Brisbane 2-0 in Australia thanks to goals from Tatsuya Yazawa and Aria Jasuru Hasegawa, while Ulsan edged out Beijing 2-1 courtesy of first half goals from Kim Shin-wook and Ko Seul-ki at Ulsan Munsu Football Stadium.
