Albirex Aim To Finish On A High

Transitional SPL side believe they are on the way up despite challenging season

- Kimberly Kwek

After 22 years in the S.League and Singapore Premier League (SPL), Albirex Niigata find themselves in an unfamiliar position – the six-time champions are currently fourth in the league and 26 points behind leaders Lion City Sailors.

This marks a sharp contrast to the previous two seasons, when they won back-to-back titles.

While goalkeeper Hassan Sunny admitted that it has been a "difficult year" with "a lot of changes," he noted that the club are undergoing a period of transition – they are in their first season with a roster of predominantly local players.

Previously, the White Swans, who are a satellite team of their parent club in Japan's J1 League, comprised mainly Japanese players.

Over the years, they have added Singaporean footballers before their conversion to a local team from the 2024-25 season.

Despite the challenges, Hassan and his teammates are hoping to end their campaign on a high with just six matches in the league remaining.

The 41-year-old, who joined Albirex in 2023, said: "We're not in a position that we were at for the past few years – it's a new team, new era for us but we are trying our best to finish as high as possible, so that's what we're looking at as our main goal."