Chennaiyin FC set the pace last season and were favourites for the title until they were grounded by a resolute Kerala Blasters in the semifinals. Chennaiyin FC took that setback in their stride and are now looking to come back stronger with a squad that many feel has the potential to snatch the title from right under Atletico de Kolkata’s nose
Agencies
CHENNAI
Chennaiyin FC will aim to make their title ambitions known right at the start as they take on defending champions Atletico de Kolkata in the Hero Indian Super League (ISL) opener at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Chennai on Saturday.
Chennaiyin FC set the pace last season and were favourites for the title until they were grounded by a resolute Kerala Blasters in the semifinals. Chennaiyin FC took that setback in their stride and are now looking to come back stronger with a squad that many feel has the potential to snatch the title from right under Atletico de Kolkata’s nose.
Having retained players like Elano Blumer, Stiven Mendoza, Bernard Mendy and Bruno Pelissari, Chennaiyin’s foreign spine is very much intact. With the addition of ISL champions like Edel Bete and Fikru Teferra, Chennaiyin FC have a squad that is as good as it could get.
Perhaps that is one reason why Italian World Cup winner Marco Materazzi decided to restrict himself to managing the team.
“We have good quality in the team this year. I don’t see any reason for me to be needed on the field. The boys will do the job,” said Materazzi.
The match provides Ethiopian striker Fikru the opportunity to score in an opener for the second consecutive year, although this time he will be lining up against his former team, Atletico de Kolkata.
Unlike Chennaiyin FC, ATK have undergone a sea change and are now looking much more stronger than the year when they won the inaugural ISL title. Old champions like Josemi, Ofentse Nato and Borja Fernandez are very much there and will hold the team together but it’s the new signings like Portuguese striker Helder Postiga, Iain Hume and Javi Lara that can give them an edge.
ATK’s stock of quality domestic players have gone up significantly as well, especially after they snatched Izumi Arata and Rino Anto at the player auction
“We had a good pre-season in Madrid. I am very happy with their performance and happy with the my squad. We have a really good team,” said ISL winning coach Antonio Lopez Habas.
Fans waiting for the ISL to kick off after a year of waiting could not have asked for a more explosive line-up in the opener.
