Defending champions Bengaluru FC would look to make their home advantage count when they lock horns with ATK in their Indian Super League play-off first-leg clash at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bangalore on Sunday.
Bengaluru FC are coming off a defeat in the AFC Cup qualifier against Maldivian side Maziya S&RC and will want to bounce back with a positive result on Sunday.
“Obviously, things did not go well for us in the AFC match. We are very disappointed but the message in the dressing room is to pick ourselves up and focus on the challenge ahead. Make sure that we give our 100 per cent and get ourselves to a position where we can win the trophy,” head coach Carles Cuadrat.
However, they need to find an answer to their woes upfront. Bengaluru have struggled to score goals, having netted just 22 from 18 games in the ISL. More importantly, only eight of them have come from open play, with set-pieces accounting for the rest.
They have struggled with finishing chances off. In what should be a huge boost, Sunil Chhetri has returned from a hamstring niggle and scored two goals against Maziya. The 35-year-old, who has scored nine goals so far, will hope to fill the void up front. The likes of Dimas Delgado and Erik Paartalu in midfield will also play crucial roles, both in orchestrating attacks and during set-pieces. Delgado’s deliveries are always threatening while Paartalu's imposing physique is useful in both boxes.
One area Cuadrat will be confident about is defending. Their defence, led by Juanan Gonzalez, has stood like a rock. ATK forwards Roy Krishna and David Williams have their task cut out against the rival backline. However, containing Krishna is no mean task and ATK coach Antonio Habas will want the Fijian to add to his 14 goals so far.
ATK have a mean defence and boast of a record (16 goals conceded) which is second only to Bengaluru. Habas will set his team to be organised and use the pace of Krishna during counter-attacks. The likes of Edu Garcia and Javier Hernandez will also have key roles to play in the middle of the park.
