Gurpreet confident Bengaluru will bounce back in new season
India and Bengaluru FC goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu is confident that the 2018/19 Indian Super League (ISL) champions will be back with a bang in the upcoming edition after a seventh-place finish in the 2020/21 season -- the first instance they didn’t make the semifinals since joining the league in 2017/18.
“We have to turn around things, we have to make some changes and start all over again. That’s what the club has been trying to do. I’m very, very happy that whoever has come in so far is trying to help the club,” Gurpreet said.
But before the ISL gets underway later this year, Bengaluru FC, under new head coach Marco Pezzaiuoli, have to contend with their AFC Cup play-off tie against Club Eagles from the Maldives on Aug.15.
In the event of a win, Bengaluru FC will join fellow ISL side ATK Mohun Bagan, Bangladesh’s Bashundhara Kings and the Maldives’ Maziya Sports & Recreation in Group D (South Zone).
“It’s good to have pre-season start again, good to have new boys here. Finally, we are all together in a beautiful place like Bellary where we are right now and we are really looking forward to the AFC Cup.
“It’s one of the few chances that Indian clubs get in the continental competition and we want to make the nation proud and BFC fans as well,” Gurpreet said.
Since the disappointment of the 2020/21 ISL, Bengaluru FC have signed seven new players. They are, Danish Farooq, Jayesh Rane, Prince Ibara, Sarthak Golui, Alan Costa, Yrondu Musavu-king and Rohit Kumar.
“It’s brilliant to have such new faces, also familiar faces, people like Jayesh Rane and Rohit Kumar.
“They have played in the Hero ISL before. These players will realise that whatever they have done in the past doesn’t matter here at Bengaluru FC. They have to start afresh and build their reputation,” Gurpreet said.
Gurpreet also spoke highly about coach Pezzaiuoli. The head coach guided the team to a 5-0 win against Nepal’s Tribhuvan Army FC in April early this year in what was also his first game in charge.
“It’s been phenomenal working with him so far. He is very demanding; he wants to play aggressive football, that’s very enjoyable.”
Meanwhile, ISL side Hyderabad FC have signed 34-year-old Spanish defender Juan Antonio Gonzalez on a one-year deal, the club has announced.
The tall player, who was with Bengaluru FC for five years before joining Manuel Marquez’s side, began his senior career with Deportivo La Coruna in Spain, and spent time with the Real Madrid Castilla before moving to Germany in 2011.
He featured in the 2012/13 season of the Bundesliga with Fortuna Dusseldorf and has played in Hungary, USA and Spain before moving to India in 2016.
During his five-year stint in India, Gonzalez has won the Federation Cup (2017), Hero Super Cup (2018) and the Indian Super League (2018/19), apart from a runner-up finish in the 2016 AFC Cup. He also finished top of the ISL League Phase twice (2017/18 & 2018/19).
“Juanan’s(gonzalez)experienceisveryimportant because we have very good young defenders in our team, and he can help them. Not too many players have played in India consistently over five seasons,” said Hyderabad FC head coach Marquez.
With 71 ISL appearances and five goals, Gonzalez will add valuable experience to the young squad at Hyderabad FC.
“I have spent a lot of time playing in India, and I hope I can help the younger players in the squad.
“As a defender, I like to always communicate with my teammates from the back. We have a right balance of youth and experience in our squad and I believe that not just me, but the other senior overseas and Indian players will help the youngsters develop and become a stronger unit,” said the Spaniard.
With Gonzalez, Hyderabad FC now have five overseas players who have played ISL in the past.
“From what I have seen in the ISL last season, it is very important to sign players who know about the league and its distinctive features. All our foreigners have experience from last season and we’ll need them as we look to manage every situation during the next season,” said Marquez.
Gonzalez becomes the third new foreign signing at Hyderabad FC joining Bartholomew Ogbeche and Edu Garcia.
“We have to turn around things, we have to make some changes and start all over again. That’s what the club has been trying to do. I’m very, very happy that whoever has come in so far is trying to help the club,” Gurpreet said