THE
BOSS
Hola, Bengaluru
I was telling the media team at the club that
the one reason I could get used to doing
these columns, is to let all of you know how
much we appreciate your role in the way we
feel, closer to kick-off at the Fortress. The
dressing room has a lot of photo frames with
some of the best moments this club has had,
since the beginning. And you often see the
boys looking at those pictures and reminding
themselves of the kind of success they have
achieved as the game inches closer. But that
desire to get out there and battle, is only
complete when we hear you from the tunnel!
Everything about our opening game was
fantastic – the numbers in which you turned
up, the way you backed the team and the
manner in which the boys responded on the
pitch. I know that beating Chennaiyin meant
so much more to a lot of you, and while I am
happy that we could give you that moment,
it’s important to remember that the season
has just begun.
Today we take on Jamshedpur FC, and I
would like extend a warm welcome to Cesar
Ferrando and his team. They did well earlier
in the week to travel to Mumbai and win.
While the battle for securing a play-off spot
usually goes down to the last game week,
teams want to hit the ground running and
build a momentum, and both us and
Jamshedpur will be looking to do exactly that.
We had a recovery session on Monday and
the boys enjoyed a deserved day off on
Tuesday, but the last four days have been a
lot of hard work. While I will take a one-nil
win against a tough team on most days, I
must confess it isn’t a scoreline that I am too
fond of. We are always working on bettering
our transitions from defence to attack and
we need to make every chance in the final
third count.
The League takes a small break after today’s
game and it’s important that we head into it
with six points on the table. We had so many
positives – collectively and individually – in
the win over Chennaiyin and we need to keep
building on it.
It will be a while before we play at home
again, after today, which is why it’s important
for us and you to make this game special in
the ways we know how to. Let’s give this
everything we’ve got!
Love,
Carles Cuadrat
PREVIEW BENJAM
SPANISH TOUCH
It’s a clash that might not possess a compel-
ling backstory, rivalry or anecdotes that make
pre-game promos on television, but when
Bengaluru FC square off against Jamshedpur
FC at the Fortress on Sunday, it holds the
promise of a fixture that will be far from staid.
In a season laden with Spanish influence,
both on the pitch and by the touchline, Carles
Cuadrat will be up against countryman Cesar
Ferrando and the sheets with tactics stuck
inside the dressing rooms, will definitely
make for interesting studying.
The Blues hit plenty of notes right on an
opening-day 1-0 win over reigning champions
Chennaiyin FC at home and while Cuadrat
lauded the effort and attitude of his side, he
spoke of getting the details right in his
post-match press conference. Things at the
back looked uncertain on a few occasions
against John Gregory’s team and the defence
would have definitely worked harder all week.
Jamshedpur, meanwhile, come into this
fixture on the back of a 2-0 win over Mumbai
City FC, away from home where debutants
Mario Arques and Pablo Morgado got on the
score sheet. Ferrando’s side looked comfort-
able moving the ball around and their flanks
did more than just ruffle the feathers of the
Mumbai defence.
Sunday’s game against Bengaluru could also
mark the Indian Super League debut of
Australian hero, Tim Cahill, who sat out
against Mumbai owing to a suspension he
picked up in his last competitive game in
England. And with Sunil Chhetri on
the other side, the game gets an added
touch of striking royalty.
The same fixture last season had former
Bengaluru coach Albert Roca clutching his
trousers in despair as he watched his team’s
domination come undone by a 90th-minute
penalty that Matheus Trindade sent home.
In team news, Subrata Paul continues to serve
a three-game suspension he received for an
incident involving players from Jamshedpur
FC and FC Goa in an ill-tempered Super Cup
clash in April. Meanwhile Blues midfielder,
Dimas Delgado, who missed the game against
Chennaiyin with a groin injury, could be a
decision that Cuadrat leaves late.
FIGURE FIVE
ROLLING BACK THE YEARS:
HARMANJOT KHABRA
Khabra started as a central midfielder for
the first time in Bengaluru Blue since
joining the club in January 2017. Having
cemented his place at right back, Khabra
stepped in as playmaker Dimas sat out with
an injury. Using his experience, he formed a
good partnership with Erik breaking down
Chennaiyin’s game time and again. He
managed 62% pass accuracy while making
12% of all Blues’ passes, and it would be a
crime to label it as ‘okay’ or ‘not bad’.
It was impressive
CAHILL’S DEBUT, SUBRATA OUT!
The latest big-name signing in the ISL is
Australian legend Tim Cahill. The 38-year
old striker who played for Everton for most
of his career arrives as their star-striker.
Having missed Jamshedpur’s win over
Mumbai on Tuesday owing to a previous
suspension, the 2015 AFC Asian Cup
winner is set for a debut tonight.
Meanwhile, former India No. 1 Subrata
Paul will miss out as he serves his
suspension from the Super Cup
fracas last season.
CHANGE OF PHILOSOPHY
While last year’s Jamshedpur was all
about a strong defense, this year it’s about
forward movement with quick passing.
The change comes in as Jamshedpur now
have a Spaniard in Cesar Fernando at the
helm, along with five Spanish players in
the 25-man squad. The side which finished
tenth in terms of passes completed last
season, dominated the possession battle
against Mumbai and a similar fight is
expected tonight.
A NEW DEFENSIVE PARTNERSHIP
The Blues have a new partnership at the
back with Albert Serran joining Juanan for
the ISL. Serran spent and considerable
time with the boys in Spain and though he
arrived in the country only eight days before
the opener, he looked solid alongside
Juanan helping the Blues keep their first
clean sheet of the season. In fact, the duo
combined for a total of 15 clearances while
maintaining a healthy successful
pass percentage.
THE FULL HOUSE
With the 1-0 win over Chennaiyin last week
setting our home record straight against
the neighbours, the only team that’s yet
unconquered at the Fortress is Jamshed-
pur. Bengaluru have now beaten eight of
their nine opponents at home in the Indian
Super League, and will be eager to
complete the full house. While an
injury-time penalty from Matheus Trindade
was the difference between the two sides
ten months ago, the Blues will
definitely target a positive result at the
Fortress tonight.
BLUES
SQUAD

1 I GURPREET SINGH SANDHU

2 I RAHUL BHEKE
3 I ALBERT SERRAN
4 I SAIRUATKIMA
5 I JUAN GONZALEZ
6 I ERIK PAARTALU
7 I MIKU
8 I KEAN LEWIS
10 I HARMANJOT KHABRA
11 I SUNIL CHHETRI
13 I RINO ANTO
14 I DIMAS DELGADO
15 I BIDYANANDA SINGH
17 I BOITHANG HAOKIP
18 I SEMBOI HAOKIP
19 I XISCO HERNANDEZ
21 I UDANTA SINGH
22 I NISHU KUMAR
23 I SORAM POIREI
26 I ASHEER AKHTAR
27 I CHENCHO GYELTSHEN
32 I ADITYA PATRA
33 I GURSIMRAT SINGH
35 I AJAY CHHETRI
36 I ALTAMASH SAYED

Head Coach
CARLES CUADRAT

Assistant Coach
GERARD ZARAGOZA
 SQUAD

SUBRATA PAUL I 1
SANJAY BALMUCHU I 2
RAJU GAIKWAD I 3
TIRI I 4
PRATIK CHOWDHARY I 5
MARIO ARQUES I 6
PABLO MORGADO I 7
VISHAL DAS I 9
JERRY MAWIHMINGTHANGA I 10
FARUKH CHOUDHARY I 11
SUMEET PASSI I 12
RAFIQUE ALI I 13
MOBASHIR RAHMAN I 15
ROBIN GURUNG I 16
TIM CAHILL I 17
CARLOS CALVO I 19
SERGIO CIDONCHA I 20
BIKASH JAIRU I 21
MEMO I 22
MICHAEL SOOSAIRAJ I 23
DHANACHANDRA SINGH I 25
YUMNAM RAJU I 26
KARAN AMIN I 27
GOURAV MUKHI I 28
SUBHASISH ROY CHOUDHURY I 29

Head Coach
CESAR FERRANDO

Assistant Coach
GUILLERMO FERNANDEZ GONZALEZ

JAMSHEDPUR
COVER STORY
 COVER STORY

ALBERT SERRAN

All Along His Career, e’d seen the Camp Nou probably a
few hundred times every month. On
Albert Serran Has Taken the way to friend’s place, while
The Road Less Travelled. running a quick errand for his mother,
circling around it on manic cycle rides, to
And Even When Detours watch, well, his favourite team and that of
Offered The Promise Of the Serran household, play in their iconic
blue and red shirts. FC Barcelona came
Happier Times, He Stuck along with every other necessity at home.
To His Choices, Because “We were all fans. Except my grandfather,
he couldn’t see beyond Real Madrid. But
In His Words – If The the rest of us? Barcelona.”
Choice You Made Then So, it’s difficult to fathom why a
Gave You Happiness, ten-year-old Albert nodded his head from
Nothing Else Should left to right a few times when the club came
calling for him to be on the roster at the
Matter… academy. He says his parents reacted
rather calmly about his choice and said
they respected it, but we’d like to believe
they were holding something that was
eventually dropped on the floor, when he
turned down the chance.

“I think I was ten it was nice to have the

club ask for me. But I wanted to go to
Espanyol. It felt right - Espanyol. They had
good academy and I felt that I would grow
there. I started out at eleven left when I was
23.” By his own admission, Albert’s instinct
has been his closest ally.
COVER STORY
After twelve long seasons through the
ranks at Espanyol, Roberto Martinez
handed Albert a blueprint that involved
moving the ball around seamlessly in an
English team. The defender’s heart took no
permissions as he signed for Swansea in
2008. “We took teams by surprise every
other weekend. We loved passing the ball
around and the opposition couldn’t really
make much of it.”
After Albert’s first season with the Swans,
Martinez made way for Brendan Rodgers
and their stock kept rising. The team
booked a ticket to Wembley with a fifty
percent chance of making the Premiership.
This is what everyone, Albert included, had
been dreaming about and working for. Then
just like that he walked over to Rodgers and
asked to leave the club. “I wasn’t getting
the kind of playing time I would have liked.
Brendan sent me in for the last fifteen
minutes on most weekends. We shared a
great rapport and I went over to him and
said that I decided to move on. He said,
‘we’re one game away from life in the
Premier League. Give this thought some
time, we can see where it goes.’ But I was
sure of my decision. It felt right,” recollects
Serran, with no hint of remorse even
though he had played his part in Swansea
securing promotion. [They beat Reading
4-2 in the final].
I’ve always believed that
you went after what your
heart wanted at that
moment, and that feeling
should never be weighed
against how good or bad
that decision turned out
for you.
Bags packed, he chose to take his football
adventure to Cyprus, playing for three
different and exotic sounding clubs in
spells – some good, some forgettable. Does
he ever read out an alternate script in his
head if he would have said yes to Barcelona
as a little boy?

“I’ve never really had time for ‘what ifs’. It’s
an easy place to run to and then, depending
on where you are in life, regret or be
grateful. Most times it’s the regret that
kicks in. I’ve always believed that you went
after what your heart wanted at that
moment, and that feeling should never be
weighed against how good or bad that
decision turned out for you.”
Was India a call from the head then, finally?
“I wanted this move. I want to collect
experiences. I know I am 34 and if I am
lucky, I’ll have a few more good years of
football in me. It’s also the reason why I
drove down to Valencia and joined the team
in pre-season to show the coach and the
club how much I wanted to come. I hadn’t
signed yet, but I was keen on making it
COVER STORY
happen. If it meant giving a good account of
myself all over again, so be it. I am here
because the club gave me the opportunity.
But I’m here also because I wanted this.”
Albert isn’t one for the gallery. It isn’t
because he’s new to the club, it’s because
that’s how he is. Come, work hard, get the
job done, and trade high-fives, on to the
next game. Which is why what he says
about the atmosphere the fans brought to
the Fortress last Sunday, is special. "To be
honest, the fans brought about in me a
feeling which I had forgotten for the last
few years. It made me very happy.”
India is home now and nothing better than
a cliché to convey the sentiment – home is
where the heart is.
NEW
A DRIVE

As part of the
association, the
Bengaluru FC
shirt will feature
Kia branding
beginning with
their game
against
Jamshedpur
today.
 FREEZE FRAME

Club CEO
Parth Jindal, skipper
Sunil Chhetri and
CEO & MD Kia
Motors India
Mr. Kookhyun Shim
were present at
the launch event,
where Kia Motors
was announced as
principal sponsors of
the Blues on a
massive four year
deal, their first
with an Indian
sporting entity.
YOUNG GUN

“I CAN’T BELIEVE
I PLAY FOR
BFC AND INDIA
“
His Side Bowed Out Of The AFC U16 Championships, One
Round Short Of Qualification For The U17 World Cup, But
Bekey Oram Says They Did So With Their
Heads Held High…

“I joined this club before him, but the truth

is that I am here and I play football because
of my brother. My parents miss me and I
miss them a lot, but they’ve always asked
me to prove that I can do something with
sport, and then everything else will fall in
place,” he adds.

H
He’s away from family for eleven
months a year, but Bekey Oram says
he’s never felt closer to home than
when he crosses the white paint on the
touchline, wherever in the world that it is.
He goes on to admit that having a brother
on the same team can help.
“I started playing when my brother gave me
his shoes, but I never thought I’d ever make
it anywhere. When people said that I was
good, it gave me confidence. Joining the
U-16 side at Bengaluru FC changed
everything for me, and though it means
spending a lot of time away from home, I
know that to win something you have to
lose something else,” Oram Jr. says with a
smile.
His elder brother Rakesh Oram was a part
of Mumbai City FC’s Indian Super League
squad last season, and joined the BFC B
team this year, a move that made
him very happy.
Bekey was a part of the India U16 team that
went down 1-0 to South Korea in the AFC
U16 Championship quarterfinals, a result
that he says taught him much. “We won
those games in Malaysia because we were
a team. We didn’t have the physicality or
technical ability to match them, but we
fought for each other and that made
everything easy. We cried a lot that night,
on the pitch, in the bus and then in the hotel
and I think it brought us even closer as a
team. We were sad, but we know that we
gave it everything we had.”
In attendance for the Blues’ clash tonight,
Bekey says he’s looking forward to watching
a team he hopes to be a part of soon. “I still
can’t believe that I play for Bengaluru FC
and India, but I know I have to keep my head
down and work hard because to play in the
Indian Super League is my dream. Most
teams in the League have foreign midfield-
ers and I want to be good enough to go
toe-to-toe with them,” Bekey signs off.
COVER STORY

AN
ANENCOUN
ENCOU
Their journeys
Theirto the top are
journeys to contrasts,
the top are stark
but Blues’ skipper
contrasts, Sunil butChhetri
Blues’ andskipper Sunil Chhetri
Jamshedpurand target man Tim Cahill
Jamshedpur target haveman Tim Cahill
much more havein common
much more than you would than you
in common
think. With awould
combinedthink.total
Withofa 115 Since leaving
goals, total of 115
combined Since leaving
Chhetri andgoals,
Cahill Chhetri
are the andall-time
Cahill record Everton, Everton,
are the all-time
goal-scorersrecord
for India and Australia
goal-scorers where the where the
and and Australia
for India
and both have skippered their nations Aussie
both have skippered their nations on big on scoredAussie scored
stages, but their commitment
big stages, but their towards
commitment towards 68 times in over
68 times in over
giving moregiving
to Asian morefootball is what
to Asian stands
football 250
is what stands 250
out the most.out the most. appearances, appearances,
Cahill moved to the
Cahill moved to the
“I’m very excited
“I’m verythat excited
Tim hasthat signed
Tim forhasan US,
signed for anthen China
US, and
then China and
ISL team and ISL along
teamwith andhis big with
along namehis hebig name back
he to Australiaback to before
Australia before
brings a lot brings
of experience, skill and skill and signing for his
a lot of experience, first for his first
signing
towering headers.
towering Hopefully,
headers.our defenders
Hopefully, professionalprofessional
our defenders club Milwallclub Milwall
will be up towill
thebe taskbecause I know it’s I know it’s
up to the taskbecause last year. A desire
last year. to give
A desire to give
going to be tough,”
going tosays Chhetri,
be tough,” on his
says way on his
Chhetri, back
wayto Asian backfootball is why
to Asian he is why he
football
back from the club’s pre-match training
back from the club’s pre-match training on on made the move
made to India,
the now
move to India, now
the eve of the
thegame.
eve of the game. finds him infinds
Jamshedpur FC
him in Jamshedpur FC
colours. colours.
JamshedpurJamshedpur
signed the striker,
signed now 38, on now 38, on
the striker,
a one-year deal but thedeal
a one-year skipper
but the it was says it“Iwas
saysskipper made a conscious
“I made adecision
conscious decision
a move thataCahill
movehad thatspoken
Cahill hadto him to come to India
aboutto him about
spoken to come because of because of
to India
much beforemuch putting pen putting
before to paper. pen“Himto paper. “Himthe bigger picture.
the bigger I saw the I saw the
picture.
wanting to play in the
wanting toIndian
play inSuper
the IndianLeague training grounds,
Super League training thegrounds, the
was somethingwas that we hadthat
something discussed
we had discussed facilities, the staff
facilities,andthe staff and
before he signed
beforefor heJamshedpur. what
It tells us It tells
signed for Jamshedpur. usthey’vewhatbuiltthey’ve
and it built and it
what he thinks
what ofhethethinks
League andLeague
of the footballand wasin
in football excitingwasfor meexciting for me
our country.It’s
our acountry.It’s
good sign afor goodthe sign
League because
for the League it offers
because me ittheoffers me the
and just shows
andhow just popular
shows how ISL is the ISL is opportunity opportunity
the popular to to
outside India.”
outside India.” contribute on the park on the park
contribute
 COVER STORY

TER WITH
NTER WITH In A Battle That Promises Much, The Blues’ Faithful
Will Witness Two Of Asian Football’s Biggest Stars
Take The Field; Tim Cahill And Sunil Chhetri…

what Indianwhat
football asks
Indian of him.asks
football “There is “There is
of him.
a massive responsibility, but I’ve had but
a massive responsibility, the I’ve had the
experience of playing inofChina
experience for in
playing two years
China for two years
and I know that
and I can
know help
thatfootball
I can helpin India
football in India
by being a good ambassador
by being for the sport.
a good ambassador for the sport.
We have players like players
We have Chhetrilike
here, and here, and
Chhetri
what I like about
what the
I likeIndian
aboutplayers
the Indianis that
players is that
they are humble andhumble
they are willing to
andlearn,”
willing to learn,”
Cahill adds.Cahill adds.

The skipper,Themeanwhile, says he cannot

skipper, meanwhile, says he cannot
wait to take wait
the field against
to take a player
the field againsthe a player he
has admires. has“I’m looking“I’m
admires. forward
lookingto this
forward to this
game because game I’mbecause
a big fanI’m of Cahill
a big fanandofI Cahill and I
and off it asand
well.I
offfeel
it asa well.I
big feel a big think he hasthink
beenhe brilliant
has been wherever
brilliant hewherever
has he has
obligation because
obligationI know that I know that
because playedin hisplayedin
career. He’s a top striker
his career. He’s aand top striker and
I’m an Asian-based player, I’ve player, I’ve
I’m an Asian-based one of the best
oneheaders
of the bestof the ball ever.
headers of the Onball ever. On
won an Asian wonCup anand I’veCup
Asian played behalf of thebehalf
and I’ve played club, of
I want to welcome
the club, I want to him to
welcome him to
in this regionin for
thismost of my
region for most of my one of the best onecities
of theinbest
ourcities
country andcountry and
in our
international career. I understand
international career. I understandprobably theprobably
best atmosphere as well. I amas well. I am
the best atmosphere
the cultures,thethecultures,
players theand players
the sure he willsure
and the love he
playing here.”
will love playing here.”
importance importance
of coming here and here and
of coming
embracing everything
embracingthat India that India
everything While we can’t
Whiletellwe
forcan’t
suretellif they
for will
sureswapif they will swap
has to offer,”has
Cahill says to
to offer,” us says to shirts
Cahill us at theshirts
end ofatthe
thegame,
end ofno validation
the game, no validation
over a voiceover
noteathat
voice wenote
havethat we have
is required for the amount
is required of respect
for the amountthat of respect that
to thank thetoJamshedpur FC
thank the Jamshedpur Chhetri
FC andChhetri
Cahill share for each
and Cahill other.
share for each other.
media teammedia for. team for. Football hasFootball
written has
many stories,
written manyandstories, and
while the shutterbugs chase themchase
while the shutterbugs through them through
Cahill believes thatbelieves
Cahill his the ninety, they
that his will zoom
the ninety, theytheir
will lenses
zoom theiron lenses on
travels around the around the two players two
travels whoplayers
have inspired
who have thousands
inspired thousands
continent have continent have of children to of play the sport
children to playandthethey’ll
sport and they’ll
equipped him well himcapture
equipped well Asian Football
capture Asianroyalty.
Football royalty.
MIKU TIRI

FIRE AND ICE

Miku, Bengaluru’s hitman up front, will go head-to-head against Tiri,
Jamshedpur’s influential skipper in what will be an entertaining battle for
the spectators. The 27-year-old defender, who is now in his fourth season
in the ISL, made a staggering 12 clearances in the opener against Mumbai
City, and will probably be the one that marks Miku tonight. On the other
hand, the Venezuelan whose sensational strike won three points last week
for the Blues, hassled the opposition defense throughout the game. Tonight
it will be a direct battle between the duo and the winner of this one might
just influence the result.

JUANAN TIM
GONZALEZ CAHILL

AERIAL DUEL
While Tim Cahill sat out of the first match owing to a suspension, he looks set
to play an important part tonight. At 38, Cahill has been valuable asset for his
teams in the past and comes off his record fourth appearance at a FIFA World
Cup. Given his aerial prowess around the box, his will pose a serious threat to
the Bengaluru backline lead by Juanan. The Spaniard was a significant figure
in the Blues’ defense alongside Serran as he kept the Chennaiyin attackers at
bay for majority of the game. With Jamshedpur’s wingers Calvo and
Mawihmingthanga having the tendency to run down the flanks and pump
crosses in targeting Cahill, Juanan has his task cut out for tonight.