Top 5 challenges for Gerard Zaragoza at Bengaluru FC

Gerard Zaragoza has a tough task ahead, of reviving Bengaluru FC.

Bengaluru FC are among the most decorated and most talked about teams in Indian football. Since their inception in 2013, the club has won two I-League titles, including one in their debut season, two Federation Cup titles, one Indian Super League title, a Super Cup and also a Durand Cup trophy. 

Thanks to a miraculous turnaround last season, Bengaluru FC reached the final of Indian Super League. But the playing style was not liked by the pundits of football, didn’t matter then. This question is raised now when the Blues have lost their way of playing football. Whether the lack of style has haunted them or the players have let down the coach, it’s still a debate. But the change is made and more is expected as told by co-owner Parth Jindal.

To restore the fading glory, the club named Spanish tactician Gerard Zaragoza as the new Head Coach until the end of the 2024-25 season. Gerard was part of Bengaluru’s ISL-winning squad in 2018-19 where he worked as the Assistant Coach to Carles Cuadrat. 

Reviving the Blues’ season, who currently sit at ninth position after 10 games, is a big challenge for the Spaniard. Let us look at the five challenges he will face at the helm.

5. A seemingly incompetent squad

After last season’s heroics, Simon Grayson made some statement moves during the transfer window. Key players Roy Krishna and Bruno Ramires were released along with young talents Muirang and Leon Augustine. The new recruits seemingly did not get along with the team well. With almost half the season gone, the team is still looking for the cohesion in play. 

Gerard is inheriting a group of quality individuals still looking to understand each other. The squad has experienced a dip in their performance compared to previous season’s highs. The coach will need to improve the squad as professionals and gel them together to his philosophy.

4. Building team morale

Bengaluru FC are one of the most watched and followed teams in the league. The team is expected to win every game and more importantly play entertaining football. The current team, though, lacks the physical fitness and mental toughness to deliver the expected.

Gerard Zaragoza needs to take it upon himself to fit these players into his possession-based style of football and give them the confidence for even a sly chance of rebound.

3. Decide on defensive plan

In 10 ISL games this season, Bengaluru have kept just one hard-earned clean-sheet – against FC Goa. The side has conceded 18 goals with nine of them coming in the last three games. 

It’s possible to withstand that kind of record if you’re scoring freely, but with the Blues this is not the case either. Last season’s run to the final owed a fair amount to the defensive solidity, but that has been lacking this term. 

The lack of an assured commander in the form of Sandesh Jhingan has been a factor. The Spanish boss will need a new plan, and that may require him to swallow the reputation of few players and use a system with youngsters in responsible roles.

2. Get the strikers firing

Other summer signings, forwards Ryan Williams and Curtis Main, have blown hot and cold so far. There have been impressive displays in patches, but none of them has been dependable with half the season gone. With two goals each in seven and eight games respectively, it is a letdown from last season. 

During Gerard’s tenure as assistant coach at the club, Miku was a constant threat in the attacking third. The next two games against Jamshedpur FC and NorthEast United FC are good opportunities to build up some momentum for the strikers, and Zaragoza must take this chance before the international break.

1. Find a solution to help Chhetri

There is not a lot more Sunil Chhetri could have done to this shaky attack of Bengaluru FC. With five goal contributions in eight games, the Indian captain looked to save the side most of the time. 

Despite his age, Sunil has clearly shown he can lead the attack, answering the few who opined him to be used as a squad player. Chhetri knows the upcoming Asian Cup is probably his last one and is trying to hit the pinnacle of his game. And the coach must be aware that with better playmaking, the skipper can deliver better numbers.

Gerard Zaragoza will need to figure out what he can do, be that implementing different personnel in attack, a tactical tweak or even a spell out of the spotlight, to help Chhetri take the team to a top-six finish.

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