Bengaluru FC Media Day: Carles Cuadrat out to try new things

The Blues will seek to defend the title they won for the first time last season.

Bengaluru FC head coach Carles Cuadrat hailed how crucial it was that his Indian Super League side played its home games at the Kanteerava Stadium, as he addressed the fourth estate alongside players Raphael Augusto, Eugeneson Lyngdoh and Ashique Kuruniyan at a Media Day hosted at the club offices of the Bangalore Football Stadium, in Bengaluru, on Friday.

Asked about his best signing of the season, Cuadrat responded in typical eloquent fashion, with his response highlighting the importance of the Fortress to his team and the supporters.

“With all due respect for my new players, the most important signature we got this season was the one that lets us play at the Kanteerava Stadium It was the most wonderful part of our pre-season. We have to be honest about it. The stadium helps us a lot. The supporters and the club have had a very, very strong relationship for a long time. It would have been very upsetting to lose the chemistry that we have with the city, so we are very happy that we will be playing here,” said Cuadrat.

Stepping into a second season as a Head Coach, Cuadrat added that he will attempt a few new tactics and systems heading into his title defence. “The new season is an opportunity for me to try new things and to work with different aspects. It’s also the time for new players to get into the dynamics of the team. We’ve tried a lot of different options with the physical conditions and at the same time getting the team ready.”

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The Blues played friendlies against I-League clubs Churchill Brothers FC, Gokulam Kerala FC and Minerva Punjab FC during their pre-season camp in Bellary, and the Cuadrat said that the matches served as an opportunity to try out new formations.

“We don’t really pay attention to the results in pre-season. The important thing is that I am able to see the different players that we have and how they are able to play together. My intention is to try and arrive to the first weeks of our competitions in the best condition possible and to be competitive from the start,” Cuadrat added.

When asked about the pressures of defending the title, Cuadrat spoke about how he considers his side just another team looking to win again. “I think that the term ‘defend the title’ is a very English expression. We don’t use that in Spain. Maybe it is a cultural thing, but Barcelona is not considered to be defending the title in La Liga this year. They are just one more team competing to get the trophy. I never tell my players that they have to defend the title. The important thing is to stay competitive and to try and reach the playoffs. Once you are in the playoff, it will be about those three games and anything can happen,” Cuadrat added.

The Blues play their first game of the season at the Kanteerava Stadium, against NorthEast United FC, on October 21st Monday, at 7.30 pm and tickets to the clash are available on PayTM Insider.

Play for the Planet

Bengaluru FC Media Day also saw the club announce their ‘Play for the Planet’ campaign. The club will be tying up with several organizations, the community and the supporters on a consistent basis to help promote several causes that affect the environment around us. The team will, by way of taking several measures at the club and the stadium through the season, will ensure that they reduce their footprint on the planet, while also encouraging its supporters and stakeholders to step in.

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Bengaluru FC Squad 2019-20

Goalkeepers: Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, Prabhsukhan Singh Gill, Aditya Patra.

Defenders: Rahul Bheke, Albert Serran, Sairuat Kima, Juanan Gonzalez, Harmanjot Khabra, Rino Anto, Nishu Kumar, Parag Shrivas, Gursimrat Singh Gill.

Midfielders: Erik Paartalu, Eugeneson Lyngdoh, Kean Lewis, Raphael Augusto, Dimas Delgado, Ashique Kuruniyan, Ajay Chhetri, Suresh Wangjam.

Forwards: Manuel Onwu, Sunil Chhetri, Thongkhosiem Haokip, Udanta Singh, Edmund Lalrindika.