CHENNAI: Saturday will see a clash between two high-flying sides in this season’s ISL. While hosts Chennaiyin FC are currently second, FC Pune City are only a point behind in third. A win for either will see the side topple Bengaluru FC from the top spot.
The encounter will see Chennaiyin’s famed defence come up against one of the most attacking outfits. While John Gregory’s team have conceded only 10 goals (the second-lowest), Pune have scored 18 (second-highest again). Speaking to reporters on Friday, Chennaiyin’s assistant coach Syed Sabir Pasha agreed with this aspect. With skipper, Henrique Sereno set for a comeback (he missed the last match after picking up four yellow cards), Chennaiyin’s defence looks stronger. The team from the western part of the country will be without star striker Marcelinho, the team’s highest scorer, after he picked up his fourth yellow card of the tournament in his last match against Kerala Blasters.
“Our defence is our strong point. With Sereno back, our boys will be up for the challenge. Pune are an attacking team, and it is going to be a close game.”
Pune’s assistant coach Vladica Grujic knows very well that Pune are yet to beat the 2015 champions in any edition of the ISL. He said there is no mental block. “This is a new team with new players and these are just statistics and we are confident of changing that” he said.
On the question of how would the team will fare without Marcelinho, Grujic said that the team would miss him but what it is a chance for someone else to step up. “Our team is of good quality, if we cannot play without one player, it means we are not a proper team”
Diego Carlos is set to be the replacement; however, Grujic did not reveal his position.
“We are here to win and we are playing a strong team”. The assistant coach stressed on the fact that his team has not achieved anything yet and their aim is to come under the top four as anything can happen at this stage. “It is important to win every match at this stage and everybody knows how we play football. Our game is focused on our attack,” he added.
There is similar pattern though — the absence of their respective head coaches. Pune will be playing their third match without head coach Ranko Popovic, who is currently banned for four matches. Chennai on the other hand will be without John Gregory, who will be serving his second match of a three-game ban.
anupkumar.sinha@newindianexpress.com