Kuala Lumpur: The Indian Super League will become the last of the Asian leagues to return to action when the ISL kicks off on Friday 20 November behind closed doors at three Goa venues.
Eleven teams from across the country have already gathered at the Goa headquarters to compete in a reorganized version of the league season in which teams will meet twice before the top four advance to the playoffs.
With several exciting newcomers making their first foray into Indian soccer, the 2020-21 campaign promises to deliver the goods once again in a region known for its passion for soccer.
Before the big kick-off between Kerala Blasters and ATK Mohun Bagan, the-AFC.com take a closer look at the 11 teams looking to write their own history in the record books.
Don’t forget to tell us who you think will emerge champions this season through our poll below.
ATK Mohun Bagan
Main coach: Antonio Lopez
Danger: Roy Krishna
Key Player: David Williams
One to watch: Sumit Rathi
Comprised of most of the ATK FC title-winning team and with one of the most successful coaches in league history at the helm, ATK Mohun Bagan fans will anticipate a successful debut season in the 2020 Indian Super League. twenty-one.
The attack led by prolific Roy Krishna and fellow former A-League star David Williams draws attention as does the high-profile signing of India international Sandesh Jhingan on defense, while teenage Sumit Rathi could be one to The one to watch out for, the young talent was named ISL Emerging Player of the past season.
Bangalore FC
Main coach: Carles Cuadrat
Danger: Cleiton Silva
Key Player: Sunil Chhetri
One to watch: Semboi Haokip
Two I-League titles in its first three years of existence proved Bengaluru FC to be a club full of ambition and, joining the Indian Super League in 2017-18, topped the standings only to suffer a loss to Chennaiyin FC in the end. A year later, however, they made amends by beating FC Goa in the main event to be crowned ISL champions.
A third-place finish and a loss in the semi-finals last season may have been below average for the Karnataka state team, but there will be plenty of optimism for the new campaign. Norwegian forward Kristian Opseth and Brazilian forward Cleiton Silva are among the exciting signings to join the team’s mainstays, including Sunil Chhetri, Udanta Singh and Erik Paartalu.
Chennaiyin
Head coach: Csaba László
Dangerman: Jakub Sylvestr
Key player: Rafael Crivellaro
One to watch: Anirudh Thapa
Chennaiyin FC, one of the most consistent teams in the ISL’s six-year history, has achieved four top-four finishes and won the league in 2014 before falling short in the playoffs. Since then, they have been crowned ISL champions twice after defeating FC Goa in the 2015 final and Bengaluru FC two years later.
Chennaiyin made it to the final again in 2019-20 only to lose to ATK, but they have cleverly recruited ahead of next season. Slovak Jakub Sylvestr arrives with a lot of pedigree and Tajikistan international Fatkhullo Fatkhuloev brings more quality. One of the great successes of last season, Brazilian Rafael Crivellaro, will once again be a key player in the team’s chances.
FC Goa
Head coach: Juan Ferrando
Danger: Igor Angulo
Key Player: Brandon Fernandes
One to watch: Princeton Rebello
Having topped the table last season and made history as the first Indian team to qualify for the group stage of the AFC Champions League, FC Goa is looking forward to another successful season, however there will be some major omissions in the lineup of the last year they will have. to get over.
Moroccan star Hugo Boumous was named a League Hero for the 2019-20 season and has now joined Mumbai City alongside compatriot Ahmed Jahouh, while the team’s top scorer, Ferran Corominas, has returned to his native Spain. Much will be expected of the Gaurs’ new Spanish signings, including forward Igor Angulo, defender Iván González and midfielder pair Alberto Noguera and Jorge Ortiz.
Hyderabad FC
Head coach: Manolo Márquez
Danger: Aridane Santana
Key Player: Joao Victor
One to watch: Rohit Dhanu
Hyderabad FC endured a disappointing inaugural campaign in which they finished last in the 2019-2020 standings, but that means the only way is to the south-central side of India in their second year as part of the Indian Super League.
Coach Manolo Márquez has insisted that the club will have a good season and with signings of the stature of Joao Victor, Luis Sastre, Aridane Santana, Odei Onaindia and Fran Sandaza there are positive signs. Santana in particular could be vital as the Spanish forward already knows what it takes to score for the ISL, after a successful loan out at Odisha last year.
Jamshedpur FC
Head Coach: Owen Coyle
Dangerman: Nerijus Valskis
Key Player: Jackichand Singh
One to watch: Amarjit Singh Kiyam
Jamshedpur FC have made ambitious moves after their eighth place last season and have stormed the ISL runners-up in Chennaiyin for both their head coach Owen Coyle and the 2019-20 competition’s top scorer, Nerijus Valskis.
In addition to Coyle’s tactical nous and Valskis’s scoring ability, Jamshedpur has also brought in strong signings such as Nigeria center-back Stephen Eze and former Motherwell defender Peter Hartley, while former FC Goa winger Jackichand Singh has been described by his new coach as “one of the best in the league.”
Kerala pitchers
Head Coach: Kibu Vicuna
Danger: Gary Hooper
Key Player: Bakary Kone
One to watch: Rahul KP
Among the best supported clubs in India, Kerala Blasters came so close to being crowned the inaugural Indian Super League champion only to suffer an injury time loss in the ISL final against ATK. Two years later, they came agonizingly close once more, suffering a penalty shootout loss to the same opponent in the final.
Since then, Kochi’s team has failed to make the season-ending playoffs, having endured three seasons in which it has finished in the bottom half of the table. However, a string of ambitious signings, including former Celtic player Gary Hooper, former Lyon defender Bakary Kone and left-back Nishu Kumar, may point to better things to come this time.
Mumbai city
Main coach: Sergio Lobera
Dangerman: Adam Le Fondre
Key Player: Hugo Boumous
One to watch: Vikram Pratap Singh
It’s been a busy transfer window for all 11 ISL teams, but perhaps none more so than Mumbai City, which dramatically improved its squad with some of the league’s most eye-catching signings, including a front line that must be the envy of its players. opponents.
As if signing last year’s best player, Hugo Boumous, wasn’t enough, the prolific Batholomew Ogbeche also arrived from Kerala Blasters and England forward Adam Le Fondre on loan from Sydney FC. In addition to attacking, Mumbai have also renewed their defense and midfield with Mouinada Fall and Ahmed Jahouh joining Boumous in the FC Goa exchange.
NorthEast United
Head Coach: Gerard Nus
Dangerman: Kwesi Appiah
Key Player: Idrissa Sylla
One to watch: Ninthoinganba Meetei
Hailing from one of India’s soccer hotbeds, Guwahati-based Northeast United, was formed prior to the Indian Super League opening and despite finishing at the bottom of the table, boasted of having third highest average attendance. Their best season to date came in 2018-19 when a top-four finish saw them reach the playoffs before heading out to eventual winners in Bengaluru.
After finishing second from last place last season, Northeast has brought quality in the form of Ghana international Kwesi Appiah and Guinean forward Idrissa Sylla, who has experience in France, Belgium and England, while there is a lot of optimism surrounding. at age 19 highly valued. -Old Ninthoinganba Meetei.
Odisha FC
Head Coach: Stuart Baxter
Danger: Manuel Onwu
Key player: Marcelinho
One to watch: Shubham Sarangi
A mid-table finish in the 2019-20 season was a successful start to life in the ISL for Odisha FC, the club that was born after Delhi Dynamos moved to Bhubaneswar. With a season behind them and the additions to the squad, they will start the next season full of optimism.
Perhaps the most notable signing is former Newcastle United defender Steven Taylor, who has extensive experience in the Premier League, while Spaniard Manuel Onwu will be looking to capitalize on an excellent loan period that saw him score seven goals in four games earlier in the year. 2020. Jerry Mawihmingthanga, for his part, is among the most creative players on the team that finished as his best assistant last season.
SC East Bengal
Head Coach: Robbie Fowler
Danger: Anthony Pilkington
Key Player: Hehe Lalpekhlua
One to watch: Eugeneson Lyngdoh
Arguably the most prominent addition to the ISL is not a single player, but the arrival of the legendary SC East Bengal team and the possibility of the ISL’s first Kolkata Derby when they face ATK Mohun Bagan for their first match on 27th November. He will also be named after the East Bengal star on the bench with Liverpool legend Robbie Fowler at the helm.
The Englishman has taken advantage of his ties from his homeland to bring in Wigan Athletic pair Anthony Pilkington and Danny Fox, while also adding Jacques Maghoma from Birmingham City. Meanwhile, the return of Indian star Jeje Lalpekhlua from a long injury could be the story of the season’s comeback.
accessories
Indian Super League
Friday: Kerala Blasters vs ATK Mohun Bagan
Saturday: NorthEast United vs Mumbai City
Sunday: FC Goa vs Bengaluru FC
Monday: Odisha FC vs Hyderabad FC
Tuesday: Jamshedpur FC vs Chennaiyin FC
The survey ends at 1600 (UTC +8) on November 20.
.
