Panaji: International betting monitoring agencies have red-flagged 12 matches in the Goa Pro League for anomalous betting, including one game that was played on Tuesday. Since December when the first red flag was raised, agencies have been busy tracking suspicious betting patterns with 12 of the 68 games red-flagged and two others classified as Amber II. Red-flagged games are those that have “something genuinely concerning about the betting”, while Amber II are those with enough evidence to suggest that the betting and/or match action was possibly abnormal from an integrity perspective. London-based Sportradar, who has a partnership with the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) in the field of integrity, specifically addressing match-fixing, has informed the All India Football Federation (AIFF) of three games played in December that threw up alarming results. For all three games played between December 13 and December 29 last year, Sportradar said in its report, “there is clear and overwhelming evidence that the course or result of this match was unduly influenced with a view to gain corrupt betting profits.” These games include Dempo SC vs Calangute Association (4-0), YC Manora vs Dempo (0-4) and Velsao SCC vs Sporting Clube de Goa (0-5). For these games, evidence indicated that bettors held prior knowledge of Calangute, Manora and Velsao all losing the first half and eventually the game. Significantly, Genius Sports, integrity partners of the Goa Football Association (GFA) who organise the league, also red-flagged the three games, besides another clash between FC Goa and Manora which the former won 2-0 on December 30. As exclusively reported by TOI on Thursday, Genius Sports raised the red flag for six games played between March 15 and March 24, 2022. The latest report from the UK-headquartered company examined 21 games this month, two of which were asked to be investigated for possible match-fixing. The games include Vasco’s 0-4 loss against Salgaocar on April 21 and Velsao’s 1-3 loss against Manora on April 26. “The sustained and successful wagering in opposition of Vasco could not be explained due to its timing and volume, as well as the behaviour of the major Asian bookmakers trading the game. “This fixture triggered an alert due to considerable pre-match and live betting support for Salgaocar, firstly to win and then to extend their lead in-play. There was also significant volume of betting support for at least three goals to be scored before kick-off, and then for at least four goals at 0-1. As the match ended 0-4 (in favour of Salgaocar), this wagering was successful and highly concerning from an integrity standpoint,” Genius said in its confidential report. Another match played on Tuesday between Velsao and Manora – both featuring in a significant number of ‘Red’ reported matches – saw “highly-anomalous and concerning betting.” All attempts in match-fixing are towards a team losing with players paid to underperform. GFA president Churchill Alemao said rise in red-flagged matches was highly concerning for Goan football. “Goa is known the world over for its football. It was (former chief minister) Manohar Parrikar who made football the state sport (in 2012), something that no other state has done. I feel the best solution is to ask the police to investigate,” said Alemao. The GFA executive committee is meeting early next week to give the president the green signal to submit the confidential reports and match footage, wherever available, to Goa police. RED-FLAGGED MATCHES Dec 13: Dempo vs Calangute, 4-0 Dec 16: Manora vs Dempo, 0-4 Dec 29: Velsao vs Sporting, 0-5 Dec 30: FC Goa vs Manora, 2-0 March 15: Guardian Angel vs Dempo, 0-4 March 15: Sesa FA vs Velsao 5-1 March 18: YC Manora vs Velsao, 0-3 March 21: Velsao vs Calangute, 1-5 March 21: Manora vs Sporting Clube 0-5 March 24: Manora vs Salgaocar, 1-4 April 21: Vasco vs Salgaocar, 0-4 April 26: Velsao vs Manora, 1-3
Panaji: For the third consecutive year, Goa’s state sport—football—has been rocked by match-fixing allegations. Goa Football Association’s integrity partners, Genius Sports, red-flagged six Goa Pro League matches in ten days last month—between March 15 and March 24—for suspicious betting patterns, indicative of match-fixing. The GFA had kept the league on hold in January due to the rise in Covid-19 cases across the country. But since the league resumed on March 15, bettors have been having a field day with prior information on how the matches would start and finish. “Since the extended break, the increase in the number of integrity reports compiled in this competition (Goa Pro League) was highly concerning,” London-based Genius Sports wrote in a confidential report to GFA. “Seven of the 12 matches (58%) have been subject to an integrity report and six (50%) were graded ‘Red’.” Betting monitors classify a match as ‘Red’ when there are clear integrity issues and something “genuinely concerning” about betting patterns before and during the game. “Many matches in the league have thrown up suspicious results,” said GFA president Churchill Alemao, who owns Churchill Brothers SC, one of India’s more popular football clubs. “My own team has suffered at the hands of this match manipulation. I have taken action (against the players) and our efforts at GFA are to eradicate this menace. We are looking into this.” The six red-flagged games include Guardian Angel SC vs Dempo Sports Club (March 15, 0-4), Sesa FA vs Velsao SCC (March 15, 5-1), YC Manora vs Velsao SCC (March 18, 0-3), Velsao SCC vs Calangute Association (March 21, 1-5), YC Manora vs Sporting Clube de Goa (March 21, 0-5) and YC Manora vs Salgaocar SC (March 24, 1-4). TOI exclusively reported on August 3, 2020, how six matches in the 2019-20 Goa Pro League were red-flagged by Sportradar, another London-based betting monitor, for suspicious betting patterns indicative of match-fixing. Last year, GFA general secretary Jovito Lopes wrote to participating clubs saying that their data and integrity partners “alerted us to several matches, which they have strong indications have been fixed and/or otherwise manipulated for betting purposes.” Genius said the confidence displayed by bettors for some games was seemingly illogical, making it difficult to “apply any reasonable logic to the betting”. Pre-existing concerns regarding some teams only heightened fears of impropriety. London-based monitoring firm operates a sophisticated monitoring system called Sport Integrity Monitor (SportIM), which collects betting data and tracks odds movements across the global betting markets. The system raises alerts whenever certain thresholds are breached, unusual activity is noticed in betting patterns during the game or a report is received from a bookmaker of unusual betting activity. Alemao, Goa’s former chief minister, was witness to one such dubious game at the Chowgule ground in Margao when his team raced to a 2-0 lead at the break against Velsao last month. During the interval, however, he was alerted to a change in betting pattern which offered 18/1 odds for an unlikely Velsao win. Velsao won 3-2, scoring three goals in the second half. Another game involving Velsao that raised eyebrows was their 1-5 loss against Calangute Association on March 21, as the betting markets remained “extremely volatile” with certain bookmakers during the opening hour of the match. “We question the timing of the betting. Why did bettors wager with such confidence in four or more goals being scored during the half-time interval? At this stage, no match action is taking place. Therefore, we are unsure what bettors were responding to,” Genius wrote in its individual report of this red-flagged game. Since the league’s restart, the first three fixtures of Manora were graded ‘Red’ and, across the season, five ‘Red’ reports have been compiled that featured wagering in opposition of Manora on each occasion. Genius has also raised concerns over Velsao’s performances in the league. “We strongly recommend for the GFA to investigate YC Manora. The betting patterns in their games imply that there is a real possibility of match manipulation,” Genius said in its confidential report. Manora, though, denied any hand in wrongdoing. “Fingers are being needlessly pointed at Manora,” said club president Srikant Sawant. “Mistakes have happened on the field, but these are human errors. This can happen with any player, any team. Why is nobody pointing to errors from referees, some of which are blatant. Our aim is to survive in the Goa Pro League. It’s not easy to fight your way to the top tier (from the lower divisions) and we will do everything to stay on top.” BEAUTIFUL GAME TURNS UGLY Guardian Angel vs Dempo Score: 0-4 Trigger For Alert: Extremely strong pre-game and early live betting for at least four goals to be scored in the match. Sesa FA vs Velsao SCC Score: 5-1 Trigger For Alert: Extremely strong betting for Sesa FA to win the match by an increasing number of goals (most likely by at least three goals) and for at least four goals to be scored in total. YC Manora vs Velsao SCC Score: 0-3 (HT 0-2) Trigger For Alert: Extremely strong live betting support in favour of Velsao SCC initially to avoid defeat and then to win the match. There was also strong in-play support for at least two goals to be scored during the first-half. Velsao SCC vs Calangute Association Score: 1-5 Trigger For Alert: Strong support in favour of Calangute Association extending their lead at 1-3 and a minimum of five goals being scored YC Manora vs Sporting Clube de Goa Score: 0-5 Trigger For Alert: Very substantial betting support for Sporting Clube to win the match by at least two goals at 0-0 and 0-1, and to be leading by half-time. There was considerable betting support initially for at least three goals to be scored in the entire match at 0-0 and then, at 0-2, for at least three goals to be scored in the first-half. YC Manora vs Salgaocar SC Score: 1-4 Trigger For Alert: Highly unusual betting for four or more goals to be scored in the match, alongside strong support for YC Manora to lose by a minimum margin of three goals.
FC Goa are not losing hope despite having their backs to the wall in the race for a top-four spot in the Indian Super League. Although Goa have not won the title after two final appearances, they remain the most consistent side, having failed to make it to the semi-finals just once, in 2016, when they finished at the bottom of the pool. Goa have won only one of their last nine matches and lost two of the last three. They are now ninth on the points table, but head coach Derrick Pereira believes his team can give their best in the last six games of the league stage. After disappointing results and refereeing decisions that did not go their way, Goa will look to salvage their campaign against Odisha FC at the GMC Athletic Stadium, Bambolim, on Tuesday. In the last game against Jamshedpur FC, Goa looked rejuvenated until Daniel Chukwu scored from what looked like an off-side position. Moreover, goalkeeper Naveen Kumar should have done better with his block. If that was not enough, luck was never on Goa’s side as they hit the crossbar three times during the game. “We have been losing focus and I think if we cut off individual mistakes at the back and in the front, we will get a result in the next match,” Pereira said during an online media interaction on Monday. Goa have 14 points from as many games. Odisha are also eager to get back to winning ways and have a real chance of making it to the playoffs. They find themselves just above Goa with 17 points after 13 matches. Goa’s influential midfielder Jorge Ortiz had to sit out of the last game after a muscle strain during pre-match warm-up. The Spaniard should be back, along with midfielder Glan Martins. Pereira is happy with the return of Brandon Fernandes who missed out on 12 games due to injury. The India midfielder is growing in confidence and has a vital role to play. “As always, our intent is to go and get those three points in each and every match. From now on, it will be the same. We will keep fighting during each and every match and never give up. Will go there and try to do our best, but there are some decisions beyond our control and hopefully all goes well,” said Pereira. The outbreak of Covid-19 cases inside the bio-secure bubble has been challenging for teams, physically as well as mentally. Players have been forced to stay inside their rooms with restricted training sessions. Odisha have faced similar troubles and coach Kino Garcia is aware of the opposition threat. “I think it’s going to be a tough game. Goa is not in a good position on the table, but they don’t deserve that depending on how they are playing,” said Odisha coach Kino Garcia.
FC Goa’s record has been poor this season, whether it’s Juan Ferrando or Derrick Pereira at the helm of affairs. The former League champions are winless in their last three matches against lowly-ranked opponents and have just one win in their last eight games. For a team who have qualified for the semi-finals in the last four editions, that should be a cause for concern and coach Pereira admitted as much, ahead of an important clash against Jamshedpur FC at the GMC Athletic Stadium in Bambolim on Friday. “It’s tough now (to qualify) but we will take it match by match,” Pereira told TOI during an online media interaction on Thursday. “We are a team that should not be in the position that we are right now, for whatever reasons. There are lot of reasons behind it. The players give their best, they keep working hard.” Goa are ninth on the table with 14 points from 13 matches. What’s more concerning is the negative goal difference, a clear reflection that the team hasn’t scored enough this season. While most of the blame will be placed at the feet of the foreign attackers who are expected to do the bulk of the scoring, no Indian player has scored for Goa since Devendra Murgaonkar found the back of the net against Bengaluru FC more than a month ago. The domestic players have scored just two goals – Alexander Romario being the other -- and provided two assists. The return of Brandon Fernandes can change that. The midfielder took the field towards the fag end of the match against Bengaluru and is now ready for a larger, more influential role. His presence can create more opportunities in front of goal, though Goa’s problems cannot be wished away so easily. “The conditions are tough here. The results are not going our way and there’s lot of mental pressure on the players. That’s why we tend to lose focus during the game at times,” said Pereira, whose side will have to be alert, having lost to Jamshedpur 1-3 in the first leg. Jamshedpur are third on the points table with 19 points from 11 games and a win will take them closer to pole position. It’s a clear reflection of what Owen Coyle’s side has done this season, both in attack where Greg Stewart has been outstanding with five man-of-the-match awards, and in defence, where the back-four have been consistent. “I don't have any doubts that it is going to be a difficult match for us for a number of reasons - lack of training and being in quarantine for such a long period, which is a big challenge, both physically and mentally for the lads,” said Coyle. Jamshedpur were hit by Covid-19 that saw two of their games postponed and the team locked indoors for a long time. They last played on January 11 and Coyle will hope the momentum, thanks to last-gasp winners from Ishan Pandita against SC East Bengal and NorthEast United, isn’t lost. “There are players who are available for the match but there are a few who won’t make it. We have to make sure we are ready and aim to continue our winning run that we had going prior to the break,” said Coyle.
Miracles do happen, said FC Goa coach Derrick Pereira. Goa and Pereira both need one to break into the Indian Super League (ISL) play-offs this season. Goa struggled from the start, losing three games in a row, and nothing seems to have changed after 12 matches in which they managed only three wins. They now find themselves in the ninth position on table with eight games remaining in the league stage. In the last two games, Goa failed to get the better of NorthEast United FC and SC East Bengal, the only two teams which are below them at the moment. Their remaining fixtures are as difficult as they can get, starting with Bengaluru FC at the GMC Athletic Stadium, Bambolim, on Sunday. “We are going to go with a different mindset with our approach in the remaining matches,” FC Goa head coach Derrick Pereira told TOI during the media interaction on Saturday. “We will try to perform in each and every match to the best of our abilities.” Against the eight teams Goa are drawn to face in the remaining games, the Durand Cup champions managed only nine points in the first leg. Goa have 13 points and a four-point gap separates them from fourth-placed Mumbai City FC. However, the recent rise in Covid-19 cases inside the bio-bubble has made things difficult for them. “We will play as a team and give more than 100 percent to get the maximum in each and every match,” said Pereira. Goa’s main concern has been in defence while the finishing has been below par as well. Goa have attempted the most shots (184) but have the lowest goal conversion rate out of all teams (7.6%). Pereira has been forced to shuffle his midfield due to injuries or non-availability of players. Their biggest miss has been star midfielder Brandon Fernandes who is yet to feature after suffering injury at the SAFF Cup in Maldives. The international has trained and Pereira will hope he is cleared by the medical team to play against Bengaluru. Bengaluru have been unbeaten in five games after suffering a 1-2 defeat against Goa. It was a game where Goa’s Jorge Ortiz and Bengaluru’s Suresh Singh Wangjam picked up red cards. Marco Pezzaiuoli’s side come into the fixture with a morale boosting 3-0 win against defending champions Mumbai. They are just a spot above Goa with the same points but have a game in hand. Full-back Roshan Singh has been in fine form, providing five assists. Three of the 22-year-olds assists came for Prince Ibara. The Congolese striker has been robust and poses an aerial threat for Goa’s back-four. Bengaluru have been in quarantine for 10 days after Covid-19 cases in the side and had two training sessions. “Goa were dominating possession against East Bengal in the last game and were a bit unlucky in finishing. But still for me Goa is the best team with ball possession in this league. We need to be prepared,” Bengaluru coach Pezzaiuoli.
Panaji: It took FC Goa captain Edu Bedia and Kerala Blasters coach Ivan Vukomanovic to tell everyone just what most inside the Indian Super League’s ‘bio-secure bubble’ are thinking at the moment. Since a non-technical staffer at FC Goa tested positive for Covid-19 on January 3, the league has seen an alarming rise in cases. Sources said approximately 60 cases are reported inside the bubbles, with those testing positive sent into isolation for 10 days, along with their roommates and close contacts. FC Goa alone have a dozen-odd cases, which includes players and support staff. Four players have now recovered. The rise in cases, which includes hotel staff, has seen eight of the 11 teams locked inside their rooms till Sunday due to an outbreak in their respective camps. Four matches, including three in the last three days, have also been postponed, since teams did not have the requisite number of players to field a team. “Nobody is talking about football, nobody is talking about football games because everyone is concerned,” said Kerala Blasters coach Ivan Vukomanovic, probably speaking for most inside the bubbles. Bedia, the Goa captain, missed his team’s 1-1 draw against NorthEast United last week after testing positive for Covid-19, just a few hours before the team set out for the venue. He was among the nine players who did not make the trip and took to social media to voice his feelings. “Players are losing interest and the desire to continue to compete,” the Goa captain said in a post, shared by many players. “They continue to play to collect their contracts without any ambition. This is what has been achieved with this year's rules. Whether you like it or not, all the people inside the bio-bubble just want March to come and the league to end, whatever the outcome.” Goa missed all four captains and the Spanish midfielder seemed particularly irked that while Goa were denied a postponement, two ATK Mohun Bagan games — where Juan Ferrando, formerly with the Gaurs, is the coach — were deferred. “It’s not easy, especially when you are closed in your rooms,” said Kerala Blasters defender Enes Sipovic. “You think only how not to test positive (for Covid-19), particularly when your wife, kids and, in my case, I need to take extra care of my wife because we are expecting a baby.” Wives and girlfriends of players are among those who have tested positive. The two-year old daughter of a foreign player is also among the positive cases, sparking fears across the hotels where teams are based. “No one can understand how hard it is in a bubble without being inside,” said Chennaiyin’s Polish striker Lukasz Gikiewicz. “We don’t feel normal life... we have to bring it together to finish the season to the end.” In a meeting on Sunday, some clubs pushed for the league to take a break and reconvene after the rise in cases has been arrested. The organisers, though, remained non-committal, telling the gathering CEOs they will get back with new SOPs that will allow them to train, rather than get locked inside their rooms. Till Sunday when the meeting happened, seven clubs — ATK Mohun Bagan, Kerala Blasters, East Bengal, NorthEast, Jamshedpur, Odisha and Bengaluru — were barred from training. Goa were also locked but allowed to step out only for training. On Monday, they were joined by Odisha and East Bengal. “At this point of time, there are no plans (to pause). Every match is being evaluated on a case-to-case basis, but we expect things to get sorted out in the next three days,” a source said when asked if there was a possibility of the league taking a break.
Panaji: ATK Mohun Bagan have been locked inside their rooms for the last six days and have not had a single training session ahead of their clash against Bengaluru FC on Saturday. ATKMB’s clash against Odisha FC was postponed last week after an unnamed player tested positive for Covid-19 on the morning of the match and the entire team was immediately sent into hard isolation. At last count, five players had tested positive and they have not been able to step out of isolation. Bengaluru are not having the best of preparations either. After the discovery of a hotel staff being Covid-19 positive inside their bio-secure bubble, they have been in isolation for the last two days. A player has now tested positive through a rapid antigen test (RAT) and the camp is anxiously waiting for the more accurate RT-PCR test results. Odisha took the field for their clash against Kerala Blasters on Wednesday, despite having four cases inside the bubble. While one of their players tested positive on Tuesday, three other members were added to the list before they set out for the Tilak Maidan in Vasco, where they were asked not to use the dressing room as a precautionary measure. On Thursday, two other non-coaching staff tested positive. “The players have shown outstanding fortitude,” Abhik Chatterjee, head of football operations at Odisha, said in a tweet on Thursday. “We are following all isolation guidelines from the league and are taking advised actions, prescribed by medical authorities. The next few days can get worse, hence, my request to the fans is to show your team some love at this moment when they need it most.” SC East Bengal are also isolating after their hotel staff inside the bio-secure bubble tested positive. FC Goa are now inside their rooms for the last 12 days. They are allowed outside only for training, that too at the nearby Sesa FA ground in Sirsaim with a maximum of eight players travelling in the team bus. “There are some incredible personal sacrifices being made by people who are inside which may never be told or heard, but each one of them deserves huge respect for how much they’re giving up to be here and coming out to perform in their respective jobs,” Goa’s director of football, Ravi Puskur, said in a tweet. Goa president Akshay Tandon also took to Twitter on Thursday to explain just how difficult life has been for the club for the last 12 days. “Bio-bubbles with +ive Covid cases are much much harder. Some @FCGoaOfficial staff and players are in isolation for over 12 days now and it takes its toll on everyone. There are huge personal sacrifices being made by coaches, staff, players and support staff. “Please reach out to everyone inside the bubble and show them your appreciation. Send them your love and let them know we are grateful for their contribution during these difficult times. They need it! The last few weeks have been tough and the next few weeks are likely going to be tougher,” said Tandon. The increases in cases inside the bubble has coincided with Goa reporting 3,728 fresh infections on Thursday, the biggest and fastest single-day increase in cases since the third wave started late last month. The case positivity rate shot up to 39.41%. The organisers, though, have made it clear to clubs that they are not in favour of postponements. In an email to clubs last week, ISL CEO Martin Bain said, if 15 players are not available for a match, the league will “try and reschedule” the match at a later date. If the rescheduling is not possible, a win with 3-0 margin will be awarded to the other team. If both teams have players unavailable, it will be considered a goalless draw.
Panaji: Edu Bedia has been here long enough to know what works in Indian football. The Spanish midfielder joined FC Goa in 2017 and has since then been an integral part of the team. Last season, he led Juan Ferrandoâs boys to a record 15-match unbeaten run but lost against eventual champions Mumbai City FC in the semifinals on penalties. It was a bitter pill to swallow for the Goans, but eight months later as they ready to face Mumbai in their opening, the captain is anticipating a much better campaign. âWe are now a much more competitive team than last season,â Bedia told TOI on Sunday. âLast year, we made a lot of silly mistakes in terms of conceding soft goals, etc, but this year I think we have worked a lot to improve on that aspect.â During his five years here, Bedia has been part of some terrific FC Goa squads, including the 2018-19 team that dazzled its way to the final, before losing against Bengaluru FC in extra time. The Spaniard has had fantastic company too. With Ferran Corominas and Manuel Lanzarote in the team, Goa set the league on fire, and then there was Hugo Boumous, who was simply unstoppable. Bedia, though, believes this yearâs squad is the best he has seen since moving from Real Zaragoza in the second-tier of Spanish football. âI feel we have perhaps one of the most balanced squads in the last couple of years. We have young players and some with lot of experience. We have got to know each other quite well and have advantage of playing a season together, not just the players, but the staff as well. I really believe we have one of the strongest squads in the last five years,â he said. Goa have been the most consistent team in ISL, qualifying for the playoffs for six of the seven seasons. The first team to qualify and play in the AFC Champions League, however, have never won the ISL trophy. Can the wait end this season? âWe have to take this game by game,â said Bedia, who scored Goaâs first goal in the AFC Champions League. âWe do have to believe a lot more in ourselves. I do believe we are one of the strongest teams in the ISL, and we have to carry that into our games and demonstrate that.â
Panaji: The word everywhere is that FC Goa are among the favourites to win this edition of the Indian Super League. There are stronger teams like Mumbai City and ATK Mohun Bagan, who finished top two last season. Others have strengthened themselves considerably, but Goa â with almost the same squad as last season and few additions â should fancy their chances, given how they performed in the AFC Champions League. Coach Juan Ferrando has heard all the talk. âWe are the team to get the trophy,â Ferrando told reporters on Wednesday. âI like when some people talk about FC Goa like that. It is good words for FC Goa. Most important is thinking about the first game.â Goa have been the most consistent team in the ISL but have never won the trophy. They lost two finals in 2015 and 2018. Last season, they lost in the semi-finals against eventual champions Mumbai on penalties. This season, Ferrando wants his players to be on the same level when they start their campaign against the defending champions on Monday. The Spaniard believes his ideology will be the key factor to help the team deliver good results, if thereâs injuries and suspensions. âIn case of cards and injuries all the players should be ready, and the level of the team is more or less the same. I understand the technical details might not be the same. But about football, controlling the spaces, time of the press for me is very important,â said Ferrando. Goa started pre-season in August itself and then took part in the month-long Durand Cup in Kolkata. Winning Asiaâs oldest tournament has boosted their morale and made them hungry for more. Goa missed key players like Brandon Fernandes, Glan Martins and Seriton Fernandes in the last-four stage of the competition as they were on national duty. But Ferrando is proud of how other players stepped up in their absence. âI think the word is to improve. Because of course our target is for the team to play in one style, one methodology. I want to help the players this way. My point of view and of the club is the big success to see the team play on the same level in case of injuries,â said Ferrando. Goa return to the ISL after more than eight months. While most teams have been out of competitive football, Ferrandoâs team was engaged in the AFC Champions League and the Durand Cup which gave the players more exposure. Along the way, Goa handed debuts to their developmental team players and unearthed talent such as 19-year-old Mohammed Nemil. The arrival of India U-17 World Cupper Anwar Ali has created plenty of buzz too. While Goa have certainly improved, others are not too far behind. âWhen I see the players of the squads, I know the league will be very competitive. For me this season 11 teams will be striving to be in the playoffs. We have a very good squad, but in the end, we will see if we make the play-offs. After four-five games, we will see what happens in the ISL,â said Ferrando. Unlike last season, mere semifinal appearance wonât be enough for the fans. The expectations from fans are high. At least, thatâs the word everywhere.
