Kolkata: Atletico de Kolkata found themselves grappling with injury woes ahead of their Indian Super League football tournament semifinals against FC Goa on Sunday with their main forward Fikru Teferra added to the list of doubtful starters due to a side strain.
Fikru, who did not train with the team on Friday, joined Arnab Mondal (twisted ankle), Biswajit Saha and Jofre Mateu (both niggles) in the injury list.
All four appear doubtful starters for the home leg semifinals at the Salt Lake Stadium as the team think tank is awaiting their respective MRI reports.
"We have to wait and see tomorrow, we don't want to take chances by risking them on the artificial surface here," a team official said. Meanwhile, their reserve forward Arnal Llibert, who has been used only as substitute, declared that he was ready to start.
"I am ready and want to score for the team if the coach thinks I can start. Every match is a final from here on," Llibert said on the sidelines of the team training season.
With Baljit Sahni ruled out because of suspension, it will be interesting to see how ATK go about their forward line should Fikru fail to recover in time in the crucial home game.
Coach Antonio Habas will also have an option in Cavin Lobo who has recovered from injury. It was Lobo's double strike that had handed ATK a come-from-behind 2-1 win in FC Goa in the first leg of the league stage. The two sides played out a 1-1 draw in their second leg league match in Kolkata, which saw ATK making it to the semifinals in their last match.
