Three things Manolo Marquez did wrong in FC Goa's AFC Champions League Two campaign

The Gaurs have failed to pick up a single point in the group stage so far.

FC Goa witnessed any chances of qualifying for the knockout rounds of the 2025-26 AFC Champions League Two campaign evaporate after sustaining a damning 4-0 loss to Al-Nassar on Wednesday (5 November 2025). The Gaurs were dominated and outplayed by the Saudi Pro League giants, dealing them their fourth straight loss in the competition.

The Indian Super League (ISL) side might have learnt some key lessons from the AFC Champions League two campaign so far, but they have come up short with some really underwhelming performances so far. Manolo Marquez was not able to inspire his side to even pick up one point from their four matches, and they only scored one goal in that period as well.

Even though FC Goa have put in some spirited performances in the group stages so far, there are some things Marquez has not been able to execute properly. Here, we look at the three things Marquez did wrong in FC Goa’s AFC Champions League Two 2025-26 group stage campaign so far.

3. Lack of counter-attacking quality

Once FC Goa were drawn into a tough group for the 2025-26 AFC Champions League two, it was relatively clear that they’d be the major underdogs for the matches. The Gaurs realized that they’d have to be at their defensive strongest to be able to withstand the pressure, but also smart on the transitions.

Unfortunately for the Gaurs, they just haven’t been able to be convincing enough in their counter-attacking aspect in the four matches. Marquez hasn’t been able to work on ensuring that FC Goa can be precise and prolific with their counter-attacking patterns.

In the matches, FC Goa have often ruined their counter-attacking chances by passing the ball backwards after regaining it to get some control of the game. They’ve just not been able to trouble their opponents enough on the transitions nor able to stretch opposition defenders. Their inability to put pressure on the opposition players on counter-attacks has hurt FC Goa and resulted in only one goal scored in four matches.

2. Not giving enough exposure to young players

Even though FC Goa wanted to be their competitive best for the AFC Champions League Two group matches, this tournament was ideal to help their talented young Indian players gain some valuable experience. However, the younger players have mostly been used in sporadic roles, being reduced to making appearances as substitutes and sometimes being totally snubbed altogether.

The likes of Muhammed Nemil and Abdul Rabeeh haven’t been able to start a single match in the ACL Two group stages, while Ayush Chhteri has mostly been used as a substitute too. Considering how underwhelming the foreign players have been and some questionable performances from ‘experienced’ Indian players, it seems that Marquez’s decision to limit the minutes for younger players ended up hurting the up-and-coming Indian footballers in the squad.

1. Regressive approach to matches

Even though FC Goa weren’t exactly expected to dominate their matches in the AFC Champions League Two campaign because of their quality of opponents, fans had hoped they’d at least put up admirable performances on a consistent basis.

The expectation wasn’t really for FC Goa to win all matches or score a variety of goals, but at least be brave with their playing style. Unfortunately, the Gaurs have failed to do that as they have been quite regressive in their approach to the matches so far. Marquez has opted to stack up his defensive line, with the majority of his players being inside their own half doing the defensive work in the matches so far.

The inability to properly create counter-attacking chances or be prolific in set-pieces have also hurt FC Goa, frustrating fans watching their matches. It’s almost like the Gaurs are scared to move forward with the ball, fearing repercussions of the opposition’s counter-attacks. This regressive approach has resulted in some really boring, forgettable performances and Marquez’s ‘defence-first’ approach has caused disappointment for many fans.

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