As Kerala Blasters looks to take on ATK in the initial encounter of ISL 2018, both teams are looking to leave behind their horrible last season. Both teams missed a playoff spot in the last season and had issues with their coaches as well. While ATK sacked their coach Teddy Sheringham mid-way through the season owing to a poor run of results, Kerala Blasters parted ways with Rene Muelensteen for the same reasons. David James takes on the charge for KB while Steve Coppell is with ATK after managing Jamshedpur FC last season.
ATK has roped in quite a few big names who have previously done well in the ISL, with six of their seven foreign players having experienced the league before. Bengaluru FC centre-back John Johnson is one such acquisition, who will be at the heart of things defensively. Thirty-four-year-old Manuel Lanzarote, who played for FC Goa last season will captain ATK in this edition and will be the main threat in midfield. In attack, ATK’s key will be Nigerian striker Kalu Uche, who played for Delhi Dynamos in the previous season.
Kerala Blasters’ mix of promising Indian talent and experienced defensive players is one that the club hopes will stand it in good stead in the long run. Cyril Kali and Nemanja Lakic-Pesic are options in defence, along with the Indian national team centre-back duo of Sandesh Jhingan and Anas Edathodika hoping to repeat their performances at the club level. While Edathodika will not be available for the start of the league as he is serving a three-match ban, he will be a good option for the team in the long run.
The opening match could very well be decided by which team wins the battle in midfield, with the Blasters lacking the presence of Indian players who could dictate things in the middle of the park. Sparks are set to fly and are you ready for it?
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