Anwar Ali will be a crucial player for the club, exclaims Carles Cuadrat ahead of ISL 2024-25

Anwar Ali has been one of the most promising defenders in the Indian football circuit.

The Anwar Ali transfer saga has become one of the most dramatic hypotheses in Indian football’s transfer history after the All-India Football Federation (AIFF) announced a ban being imposed on the East Bengal defender and a massive compensation of INR 12.90 crores that Emami East Bengal and Anwar himself must reimburse to Mohun Bagan Super Giant.

Furthermore, East Bengal FC and Anwar Ali’s former club, Delhi FC, who loaned out the young defender to Mohun Bagan Super Giant, have been barred from registering any new players in the next two transfer windows, as per the ruling of AIFF’s Player Status Committee.

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However, during Emami East Bengal’s pre-match press conference in the city on Thursday, East Bengal Head Coach Carles Cuadrat coined Anwar Ali as an “important player” and did shed some light on the fact that he might return to the squad in the future, as the team’s management is currently exploring all the avenues to make it happen. He also confirmed that the ban has already been imposed immediately, so Anwar Ali has been dropped from the roster for the Bengaluru FC game.

Carler Cudrat said, “We know that he’ll be a significant player for the club. But the situation is not in our hands; the club is making the decisions, and working towards making everything propel in the normal fashion.

“I told the player that he’d be crucial to us. But we need to understand that he can’t play tomorrow, so I’m planning with the rest of the players. Anwar is training very well.”

Emami East Bengal will take on Bengaluru FC at Sri Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru on Saturday, September 14, 2024. It will be interesting to see how the tactician chalks out the alternative strategy for his defensive third with Anwar being ruled out and when they are up against a team whose attacking third features the likes of Sunil Chhetri, Ryan Williams, and Jorge Pereyra Diaz.

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