From the stands to the study desk, Niranjan covers Indian football and beyond.
Published at :March 6, 2026 at 9:51 PM
Modified at :March 6, 2026 at 9:51 PM
Kerala Blasters will be eyeing their first win of the season against Chennaiyin
Kerala Blasters FC will lock horns against Chennaiyin FC on the 7th of March for the Southern Derby clash of the Indian Super League (ISL) 2025-26. The match is scheduled to take place at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Kochi, at 7:30 PM IST.
With three losses in three games, the Blasters are currently going through a tough phase and have entered the early relegation battle of the league. Chennaiyin FC, being yet another struggling side in the league, comes in as a perfect opportunity for the Blasters to register their first win of the season. This is one of their last opportunities to regain their long-lost confidence and the trust of their fans.
The match against Chennaiyin FC is now a chance to redeem themselves and prove that the Blasters are here to compete. Their primary aim will be to fetch all three points and move as far away as possible from the relegation battle. Ahead of the southern derby clash, Kerala Blasters FC head coach David Catala addressed the media.
Here is a detailed report of the pre-match press conference between Kerala Blasters FC and Chennaiyin FC.
Thoughts about tomorrow
When asked about David Catala’s thoughts about the game against Chennaiyin FC, he replied that, despite the negativity that has been surrounding the team, he is confident that the players will perform well in the match as they have been training well in the past week, and the energy level in the team is high to compete and try to get victories.
“Yes, we know that is not the best scenario that we wanted from the beginning, but the energy of the team is… It’s amazing how they are training, how we are going to face the game of tomorrow. And we have to be positive, not just for football, in life. I think everybody is getting negative so fast. And it’s normal that everyone wants results, immediate results.”
“But I’m very quiet because I see every day how they are training, how they are pushing themselves. And I’m very confident that they perform, they will perform better and better every week. And I’m really positive about that. So the energy of the team and the players is huge. We’re going to face the team, the game, with the best of energies. And of course, like always, we try to give our best and to try to get the victories. That’s the point that we can say.”
Areas of improvement
When asked about the areas of improvement, David Catala replied that the team has to work defensively a bit more, as he believes that in the offensive unit, goals will arrive one way or the other. If the team remains compact, he is sure that goals will be scored and victories can be secured.
“Yes, it’s true. It’s true that we have to improve a lot in our defensive aspects because we cannot concede many goals, and it’s true that we concede five goals in three games. And this is the point that we need to build again and to be stronger as a team in defensive patterns because offensively, in one way or another way, the goals will arrive.”
“So I’m pretty sure. But first of all, the most important thing, think right now we are, we need to be very strong in defense and we try. To improve, we have to be better in that aspect and to be more compact as a team. And after all, I’m sure that the goals will arrive for us.”
Realistic expectations for the season
David Catala, when asked about the expectations for the season, replied that, for him, the most important thing now is tomorrow’s game. David Catala added that the team had to face the adversities and focus step-by-step. He also emphasised that the team has to be together in this situation, and despite these negatives, they have to fight for the best.
“Look, my expectation is tomorrow’s game. It’s tomorrow’s game. So I don’t want to look forward. because why? The important is tomorrow’s game and we have to win step by step. Now it’s very nice to say to you that yes, I will fight for the top six. We’ll see. The most important is that we have to face the reality. I see the environment start to be negative and it’s normal. But I’m a kind of coach, a kind of man that always they teach me to fight against adversities.”
“And now we have a small adversity, very small adversity. So we have to fight. The most simple thing in life now is to destroy everything. So you are bad, you get three losses in a row, sack the coach, sack the players, change the team, everybody is destroyed. And it’s a simple thing and we start again. But okay, if they think the club is the best, do it. But they teach me from when I was player at the beginning of my career that you have to fight every single moment, the adversities.”
“And now we are a moment that we have to fight. Let’s do it together with the people that will come tomorrow to support the team. Let’s do it with them together. We are going to be together, the team is together, the players are fighting together. I’m going to be with them until the end. And it’s the only way to take this situation. So it’s the only way I know how to face the adversities. And we’re going to do it. For sure, we’re going to fight.“
Is David Catala confused with finding the best starting XI
“It’s not about confusion, it’s just a matter to find, in my opinion, which is the best 11, plus the substitutions can be better for the team. So that’s why we have to be ready. It doesn’t matter to have just 11 players and to be with them until the end. And it’s about the results also. The results are not coming, you try to find solutions, you try to find different ways to face the situations. And for me it’s important that 22, 23 players, they have to be 100 % ready because in one game and the other game, I can choose different players. So for me it’s important to have them 100%.“
About replacing Oumar Bah
Oumar Bah, the Blasters’ foreign centre back, mutually terminated the team just days ahead of the match against Chennaiyin. As a replacement, Ndiaye Fallou, a 23-year-old Senegalese defender, was brought into the club. When david Catala asked why Oumar was replaced, the gaffer replied;
“Yes, is one of the parts that we wanted to improve, and we believe that maybe with that replacement, the team is going to be stronger, and it’s just a matter of replacing one player to another player to give more power in defence and to try to give more stability. Oumar, we have to be very grateful about his performance how, how he played the games, how he did everything about the team but sometimes in football, you take decision you have to take decision that you think is going to be better for the team, and we think that with the replacement, the team is going to get stronger in defence.“
Availability of the players for tomorrow’s game
“No, just the situation of Korou. All of you know about his problem with family, and probably will not be available for tomorrow and for the rest of the players. We will see in today’s training, but we hope that all of them can be available for tomorrow’s game.“
When and where to watch Kerala Blasters FC vs Chennaiyin FC?
The Indian Super League match between Kerala Blasters FC and Chennaiyin FC will be played on the 7th of March, 2026. The match will be live-streamed on FanCode and broadcast on Sony Sports Network.
Niranjan R Prabhu is an Economics student from Kochi with an enduring passion for Indian football, especially as a devoted Kerala Blasters FC fan — a club he considers part of his life. Beyond the game, he writes on culture, Indian economic development, and sustainability, always eager to explore ideas in depth. His days are a balancing act between college, writing, and travel.
