Gamba Osaka were handed a boost ahead of the AFC Champions League semi-finals with the announcement that manager Kenta Hasegawa will continue to lead the club in 2016.

The 50-year-old is revered for taking control of the J.League co-founders while they were in the second tier in 2013, coaching them to MEIJI YASUDA J2 League victory and promotion that season.

Hasegawa then cemented himself in the club’s history by clinching an unprecedented domestic Treble of the J1 League, Yamazaki Nabisco Cup and Emperor’s Cup the following year.

His Gamba are currently still in contention to defend all three of their trophies, while they could yet progress to the ACL final by defeating Guangzhou Evergrande in the semi-final.  

The Japanese champions host their Chinese counterparts at Banpaku Stadium in Wednesday’s return leg and just need to overturn a 2-1 loss suffered in the first leg in September.