Team Herald
PANJIM: Churchill Brothers FC square up to Rajasthan United FC with an early chance to settle scores. Goa’s lone club in the I-League lost to their adversaries in the Baji Rout Cup in Odisha last week via the tiebreaker but one wagers there’s hardly any thoughts of revenge on the mind of Churchill’s coach Antonio Rueda Fernandez on the eve of the encounter.
The Spaniard is just happy that Churchill Brothers will play in front of fans at the GMC Athetic stadium in Bambolim after two years of the bubble during the Covid-19 pandemic.
“For me, it’s so very different to have fans in the stadium. We play and train for the fans. If they don’t see us, it is not a happy thing for both player and fans,” he said at a media conference on Monday.
“So, we are happy with the home-and-away format.”
Rueda expresses caution when the talk is about the opponents. “Rajasthan is a good team. It was difficult to play them last season and we won only by a one-goal margin. So, we must play with concentration all the time if we are to win,” he said.
The squad barring two are injury free. “Ponif Vaz (defender) and Afdal Varikkodan (forward) have injuries but all the others are fine,” he said.
Rajasthan Club head coach Pushpender Kundu is pleased that his team will take the pitch on Tuesday against the former I-League champions.
“To play the opening match against Churchill Brothers is a good feeling,” he said.
“We played them at the pre-season Baji Rout Cup (in Odisha) and we know a lot about them,” Kundu said.
The coach looked forward to a very competitive season. “All teams are prepared and anyone can take the title,” he opined.
Kundu has mixed feelings on the home-and-away format following the easing of the Covid-19 pandemic.
“It’s good to play in front of fans. It’s incredible for the players. But there’s also the challenge of travel to various cities.
“In the bubble, it was far easier to maintain fitness. Moreover, now, the gap between the matches is narrow and that’s another challenge.”
Kick-off: 7pm
