For the second season running, Indian Super League (ISL) is being held in a bio-bubble in Goa, but for Odisha FC (OFC) the bubble had burst in the very last season. Finishing rock-bottom last year with only two wins, Odisha certainly needed an overhaul at season-end. With an eye on turning their fortunes, the Bhubaneswar-based club revamped their squad and backroom staff in the summer.
Whether that is good enough to deliver the goods this time around will be put to test when Kiko Ramirez’s boys start their 2021-22 ISL sojourn against former champions Bengaluru FC (BFC) at Tilak Maidan in Goa on Wednesday. However, both clubs have a tone of similarity as BFC, too, have undergone quite a change following a below-par season last time that saw them finish seventh and missed out on a knockout berth for the first time in their four-season ISL history.
While the Kalinga Warriors are starting their campaign, Marco Pezzaiuoli’s BFC have started off with a thumping 4-2 win over NorthEast United in their tournament opener. BFC will definitely want to extend the bright start and Odisha, on the other hand, will look to begin their new journey under Spanish tacticians with a victory.
With all-new foreigners and many developmental players in his arsenal, it will be interesting to see how Spanish head coach Ramirez develops a right kind of mix to maximize the return this season. Among the overseas recruits, former ATK player Victor Mongil and captain Hector Rodas — both Spaniards — are expected to combine and plug the loopholes in defence which leaked a tournament-record 44 goals in their previous campaign.
Former ATK Mohun Bagan attacking midfielder Javi Hernandez is expected to play a pivotal role along with India international Vinit Rai while Kiko will definitely look forward to Brazilian marksman Jonathas de Jesus to stand and deliver upfront. Their other two foreigners, Spanish winger Aridai Cabrera and Asian quota player, Malaysian international Liridon Krasniqi, are also much anticipated to play their part for a side who are aiming to reboot their fate. However, winger Jerry Mawihmingthanga, Odisha’s standout performer in a disastrous last season, will look to start where he left off previously.
Bengaluru, in contrast, have done away with their Spanish thinktank and have former Eintracht Frankfurt technical director Marco Pezzaiuoli at the helm for the next three seasons. The German has started with a resounding win on his ISL managerial debut and also had a decent performance in AFC Cup.
Pezzaiuoli will look up to Brazilian forward Cleiton Silva, the only foreigner retained by BFC from last season, to continue his emphatic start to the season. With a goal and an assist in the very first game, Silva is certainly going to be the man in spotlight at Bengaluru.
Meanwhile, Pezzaiuoli confirmed at the pre-match press conference on Tuesday that Leon Augustine is out of this clash with an injury suffered in the NEUFC match. However, Bruno Ramires, who took a knock on the knee, is likely to be available. Odisha have no injury concerns and aim to start afresh.
Though Odisha are winless against The Blues in the previous two seasons with a draw in their last meeting, the game on Wednesday promises to be an entertaining one given the change of guards at both sides.
