ACL Two Preliminary Stage: Three FC Goa players to watch out against FK Arkadag

FC Goa to play FK Arkadag on 12th August.

FC Goa are all set to take on FK Arkadag, the champions of Turkmenistan away from home in the AFC Champions League (ACL) Two Preliminary Stage. The Gaurs will play the Turkmenistan champions at the Arkadag Stadium in Turkmenistan with the match kickoff scheduled for 8:30 pm IST.

This match will pose to be a tough challenge for FC Goa as this will decide whether the Gaurs will play in the ACL Two 2026-27 or get demoted to the Challenge Cup making this a one-legged knockout match. Under the newly appointed head coach, Gouramangi Singh, the Gaurs will aim to get a positive result as this high-stakes match will be their first professional match of the 2026-27 again making things a bit tougher.

The Gaurs saw multiple key players leave the club after the end of 2025-26 season; however, they have managed to get together a good squad as they head into the 2026-27 season.

In this article, we take a look at three FC Goa players who will be key for them against FK Arkadag.

Franchu

Francisco Feuillassier also known as Franchu is a 28-year-old attacking midfielder who can be very crucial for the Gaurs while attacking.

A product of Real Madrid youth academy, the Argentine have played 67 games in LaLiga 2 and also have 6 appearances in Copa Del Rey. Franchu have also played in the UEFA Youth League where he scored 2 goals and provided 1 assist in 5 games.

The Argentine arrived in ISL last season when he joined the Blasters in the second half. His arrival completely changed the trajectory of Kerala Blasters’ season where he managed to score 2 goals and provide 3 assists in 6 games. His creative outlet and eye for goal makes him a very crucial player as he will be the one responsible to play creative balls to the forward line.

Alex Zalaya

Spanish defender Alex Zalaya will be a very important player for FC Goa as they face the mighty FK Arkadag away from home in ACL Two Preliminary Stage.

The 28-year-old centre-back brings immense experience of playing across various leagues in Spanish football and also playing for multiple big teams like FC Barcelona Atletic, UE Cornella etc. His partnership with Sandesh Jhingan will be one to watchout as these two players will be responsible for stopping FK Arkadag to create danger.

Along with defensive duties, the tall defender can also be very helpful for FC Goa while taking set pieces in the opponent’s penalty box. The aerial threat that he will bring during the set pieces will also be a key.

Christian ‘Chiki’ Isabel

Christian ‘Chiki’ Isabel is a 29-year-old centre forward who has played across various divisions in Spanish football.

Chiki has over 70 appearances in LaLiga 2 and has also played in the Copa Del Rey. He adds versatility to the frontline as he is capable of playing anywhere upfront, even left and right wings.

The Madrid born forward brings immense experience to FC Goa and in a match that carries this much weight, his importance will be even more as goalscoring will be key to win this game and secure a spot in ACL Two 2026-27 group stage.

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