Manjeri: For the past couple of days, Juliano Fontano, the Brazilian coach of second league outfit Bhawanipore FC, was busy preparing for the match against Dempo Sports Club in the opening encounter of Federation Cup football tournament to be held here on Tuesday.
It will be exactly a year after the coach started his stint at the club when his team faces Dempo SC in the Group ‘D’ opening match.
“There is a lot of pressure when taking on an I-League team, that too against a club like Dempo, in the opening match. But these matches are very important for our exposure and I think the tourney will be a fine build-up for our I-League quest,” he said.
However, the coach is not satisfied with their preparation. “I just received two or three days to get ready for the tournament. We were playing in the Bordoloi Trophy, which we won, in Assam till last week. The tourney has drained our fitness and our star striker Jose Ramires Bareto will be missing due to injury,” he said.
“But it is football, and anything can happen. Dempo are one of the best teams and whatever their form is like, we need to do our best out to win the match,” he pointed out.
Group favorites Dempo will be trying to regain their lost form — before I-league resumes after a break — by qualifying for the semifinals as group toppers. Placed 10th on the table from 16 matches, Dempo will be looking forward to dominating the group stage. With several national players in the team, they just need to focus when on the pitch, believes team coach Arthur Papas.
Meanwhile, in the second match, Mohammedan Sporting Club will face United Sikkim FC. “We are confident, but not over confident, about our chances. We will be trying to finish in a decent position and at present, nothing is predictable in the group,” said team captain Dhanarajan.
