“We really know the importance of away goals, especially after last year, so the most important thing now is to make sure they don’t score even one,” admitted Doi. 

“For me, [the game against FC Tokyo] was just another league game and whether the opponent is in first place or last place, the important fact is that we won, so that can build our confidence for the next match. 

“Our motto is 'stay together', and this is even more true at home as the fans are with us to help us through the match, which we hope they will be on Wednesday.”

After defeating Islamic Republic of Iran's Persepolis to lift the Continental title for the first time in 2018, a number of key players departed, including defender Gen Shoji, the gifted Hiroki Abe and the 2018 AFC Champions League MVP Yuma Suzuki.

But while Kashima got off to a relatively slow start this season, their form has improved dramatically and they have lost just one game since June.

Indeed, as well as being in the last eight on the Continent and second in the league, Go Oiwa’s team are also in the semi-finals of the J.league Cup and the Round of 16 of the Emperor’s Cup.

Doi’s form has been key, with the forward scoring twice in the second leg against Sanfrecce Hiroshima in the previous round as well as teeing up Serginho’s decisive goal with a lung-busting run in the first leg. 

“After some players left and new players joined the team, the chemistry was created very quickly so that was really important,” explained Doi.

“On top of that, the players who have been here since last year, including the younger players, have been really consistent and so I think that has helped us adapt well.

“Regarding my own form, last year I performed well but it wasn’t shown so much in my numbers. But this year – in the league, the cups and the AFC Champions League – I’m playing well and it’s showing in my numbers, so it has been really fulfilling in terms of that. 

“As long as there is an opportunity to win all four titles, we would like to achieve it. Winning all four competitions has been a target of ours since the very beginning of the season and right now it’s a very realistic goal, so we’re really gearing up towards that.”

The 27-year-old has been at Kashima since his youth days and, while he already boasted a number of domestic titles to his name, the 2018 AFC Champions League helped write a new chapter in the club’s history.

Having never previously advanced past the quarter-finals-finals, Kashima produced by far their best-ever run on the Continent as they joined fellow Japanese sides Urawa Red Diamonds and Gamba Osaka as winners of Asia’s biggest club competition. 

“We have won a lot of titles in Japan but we had never won the AFC Champions League and we knew that that was the only thing lacking in our club’s legacy so we really wanted to win it,” added Doi. 

“As a team and for me personally, I can’t even put it into words what it meant to win that title, but it was such a good feeling.”