Mumbai: FC Pune City roped in Jermaine Pennant – former Arsenal and Liverpool footballer – as replacement to Colombian Omar Andres Rodrigues Martinez who is down with kidney complaints and will not be available for the remaining part of the Indian Super League.
Pennant joined Arsenal at the age of 15 in 1999. In 2006, he moved to Liverpool on a four-year contract and appeared in more than 50 matches. He spearheaded the midfield in their run to the 2007 UEFA Champions League final.
He has also played for Stoke City, Birmingham, Portsmouth and Real Zaragoza.
David Trezeguet to skip Atletico tie citing injury-prone turf
Blame it on the artificial turf here as city football aficionados will miss out an opportunity to watch French World Cup winner David Trezeguet in action in FC Pune City's ISL fixture against Atletico de Kolkata.
"It is a long tournament and we did not want to take a risk with our marquee player on the injury prone artificial surface," a team official said of the former Juventus star's absence.
The artificial turf at the Salt Lake Stadium has come in for criticism earlier also, with even ATK marquee player, Luis Garcia, saying it was difficult to play on. It's not the first time that the Vivekanand Yuva Bharati Krirangan's surface has come in for criticism as many including home team's marquee player Luis Garcia have expressed their concerns in the past.
Pune who have seven points from five matches take on the Kolkata franchise in their ISL fixture on Friday.
