Manolo Marquez: Technically, Hitesh Sharma is one of the best in ISL

The Spaniard is wary of the threat the Marina Machans pose in the next fixture.

Hyderabad FC are gearing up for an important clash with Chennaiyin FC in the Indian Super League 2020-21. The outfits are competing for a spot in the playoffs and the game’s result could be vital in the race. Manolo Marquez has done an impressive job with a squad that has benefitted from trusting young Indian talent. His team showed incredible grit against Bengaluru FC last time around and snatched a draw with two late goals.

Speaking ahead of the next fixture against CFC, the Spaniard talked about various topics and their chances going forward.

Performance against Bengaluru FC

Hyderabad FC salvaged a draw in the dying minutes of the game by scoring two goals. They mounted relentless pressure on BFC’s defenders. When asked if the attacking performance was the best of the season yet, Manolo Marquez responded, “We are happy with the point we got in the last minutes, but we are not happy because we deserved to win.

"We missed clear chances in the first half. More than our best attacking performance, I would say we put a lot of offensive players, we were losing 2-0 and we needed to go on the attack. When you are losing 2-0, a draw is a good result.” 

Need to turn draws into wins

Hyderabad have drawn their last four games. The tactician spoke in this context and expressed what needs to be done to turn these draws into victories. He said, “The team needs to score from the chances. Most important thing is to have these clear chances. It's true that the team is playing good football.

"In football, the most important is the final score and I agree in these four games, we were closer to winning than to lose. I think the game against Chennaiyin FC is the perfect opportunity for both teams.”

Praise for Hitesh Sharma

Manolo Marquez has worked wonders with the young Indian talents this season. Among them is Hitesh Sharma, who has been a revelation in midfield for the Nizams. Talking about the player, the tactician said, “I don’t like to speak only about one player because the most important thing is the team. For me, Hitesh Sharma is a very good player. He is one of the Indian players who presses better and understands the game better.

“I think he is one of the players with more personality in Indian football. He always wants the ball, is not scared and is technically a very good player. Technically, he is one of the best players in the ISL,” the 52-year-old further added.

Reverse Fixture

The last meeting between HFC and CFC ended in a 4-1 victory in favour of the Nizams. Speaking about what kind of a confidence booster the previous result was, Manolo Marquez said, “You never know in football because maybe they want to score revenge.

"We remember the first game, but it’s not the same. All the games are very different. The only thing is that they had six days to rest and we had less than three. But, I repeat, this is not an excuse. This is the schedule and we have to play.”