KOCHI: With 11 goals and five assists between them, attackers Emiliano Alfaro and Marcelinho have hogged the limelight during FC Pune City’s impressive run in the ISL. But Spanish midfielder Marcos Tebar, formerly seen in the Delhi Dynamos shirt, has been an equally vital cog in the Pune wheel.
The 31-year-old defensive midfielder has completed 522 passes and made 18 interceptions from nine games this season — among the top stats. The Real Madrid product has also contributed to the attack, assisting twice for the Pune side who have amassed five wins and a draw so far.
“Alfaro and Marcelinho are attacking players and people love you when you score goals and create chances. But inside a team, you have different roles and players, who should all put in a great effort for the team to work,” said Tebar, who turned up for Spanish second division side CF Reus Deportiu in between his stints in India.
Tasked with breaking down opposition attacks and launching counters, Tebar has excelled in the holding role. “The coach (Ranko Popovic) wants me to be his extension on the pitch. He wants me to be in the right position every time and be the link between the defence and attack,” said the player.
Tebar made his debut for the Madrid giants against CA Osasuna in 2009 and was part of Jose Mourinho’s pre-season squad ahead of the 2009-10 campaign. However, an injury struck down his chances of getting a look into the first team squad at Real. “Maybe, I was not in the right place at the right moment,” the midfielder felt.
“I spent 13 years at the Real Madrid academy and when I came close to the first team, I had a very bad injury and the chance I wanted never came again,” said Tebar who left for Girona at the end of that season. He has since then played in England with Brentford in the Championship before moving to India in 2016.
“Last ISL season was different because Delhi played a 4-3-3 with Florent Malouda besides me. But this year, we play more on the counter and have better quality in attack,” said Tebar who models his game on FC Barcelona’s Sergio Busquets. “Our first target is to reach the knockouts as Pune has never done that in the competition. From there, we will try to make it better,” he added.
The Spaniard was also full of praise for Kerala youngster Ashique Kuruniyan who he felt could become a top player under proper guidance. “One player that has caught my eye this season is Ashique. He is just 19 years old and with the right coaches to develop him, he can be one of the best forwards in Indian football,” said Tebar.
adwaidh@newindianexpress.com