In anticipation of a tense AFC Champions League Two qualifying match against Alman’s AlSeb on Wednesday, FC Goa Head Coach Manolo Marquez is aware that the Gaurs on paper will get a stronger opponent, but refuses to be conceived by pressure and says it is a great place to be in.
«I think most teams in India would like to be in this position and play this game. As usual, it will be a difficult match for us, but it will also not be easy for them,» Marquez told the media prior to the game.
Oman, currently in the 79th place of FIFA, is still in a strong place to offer in a place in the World Cup next year, and Manolo is aware that already Seab has many of the national team players of Oman in his ranks.
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«If you play this kind of matches, you know that the opponent will be strong. Football in Oman is constantly growing, and they are still in the fight to qualify for the World Cup. Many players of the national team play in Al Seeb. But I think it will be an equal game, and we will have the opportunities. Of course it will not be easy for them,» said the span. »
The FC Goa coach believes that the crowd will play an important role in helping the Gaurs across the line and urged fans to appear in figures at the Fatorda Stadium.
With reference to the ISL 2024-25 of FC Goa, semi-final second legs against Bengaluru FC as an example, said Marquez: “In our last game here we lost to Bengaluru FC on aggregated (in the ISL semi-final). But the connection I saw between the crowd and the players was good, and tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow, and the players, and the players.
FC Goa has strengthened three positions with foreign signing sessions – Vooruit Javier Siverio (who has already played under Marquez during his time in Hyderabad FC and Las Palmas), midfielder David Timor and defender Pol Moreno.
Although Marquez acknowledged that the experience they will provide will be crucial for Goa’s opportunities against a strong Al Seeb side, he was quickly on the fact that the team could perform well, everyone in the team should perform.
With Indian football in turbulent waters and the future of the ISL, Marquez admitted that this will be an «all-or-nothing» match for FC Goa.
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