Team Herald
sports@herald-goa.com
BAMBOLIM: After a memorable 2020-21 Indian Super League campaign, Hyderabad FC are finally back in action in the 8th edition of the competition, when they host Chennaiyin FC on Tuesday, at the Bambolim Stadium, which will also serve as their home venue this season.
Manolo Marquez’s side started their pre-season in September back in Hyderabad and have since played strong sides like Churchill Brothers, Salgaocar FC and Gokulam Kerala while also testing their mettle against ISL sides Mumbai City, NorthEast United and Odisha FC, in pre-season friendlies as they aim to go into the first game, fully prepared.
The HFC Head Coach believes that these friendlies are very important for teams before they kick off the competitive season. “I think pre-season games are another training session but for players and staff, it is better to play such games to get into matchday routine,” he said.
Chennaiyin, who finished in the eighth place in the points table last season, nine points adrift of HFC in fifth, have since made quite a few changes to their roster, including their Head Coach. Montenegrin coach Bozidar Bandovic took charge of the club back in July and will look to make a fresh start this season.
The likes of Vladimir Koman, Lukasz Gikiewicz, Ariel Borysiuk, Slavko Damjanovic and Mirlan Murzaev are all fresh faces to Indian football and could pose a threat to Manolo’s side in this game.
