Xtra Time Web Desk: Bengaluru FC on Thursday named a 29 member strong squad for AFC tie against Nepal Club Army. Notable player missing in the list is Spanish midfielder Dimas Delgado. The four foreign players of the Blues are Juanan Gonzalez, Erik Paartalu, Cleiton Silva and the new recruit Gabonese defender Yrondu Musavu-King.
New head coach Marco Pezzaiuoli has also named five players from the Bengaluru FC reserves side. Young sensation Sivasakthi Narayanan has been called up for the senior side.
The winner of the play-off round between Bengaluru and Nepal Army Club will be placed in the Group D (South Zone) of the AFC Cup 2021 alongside India’s ATK Mohun Bagan Bangladesh’s Basundhara Kings and Maldives’ Maziya S&RC.
The Blues are currently in Goa for a preparatory training camp ahead of their AFC fixture. Recently three members of the Bengaluru FC squad tested positive for COVID-19 and is quarantining themselves. Skipper Sunil Chhetri recently recovered from the disease after testing positive earlier this month.
Squad
Goalkeepers: Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, Lalthuammawia Ralte, Lara Sharma, Sharon Padattil
Defenders: Rahul Bheke, Pratik Chaudhari, Juan Gonzalez, Wungngayam Muirang, Ajith Kumar, Ashique Kuruniyan, Joe Zoherliana, Parag Shrivas, Yrondu Musavu-King, Biswa Darjee
Midfielders: Erik Paartalu, Suresh Wangjam, Harmanjot Khabra, Namgyal Bhutia, Emanuel Lalchhanchuaha, Damaitphang Lyngdoh, Muhammad Inayath
Forwards: Sunil Chhetri, Edmund Lalrindika, Udanta Singh, Cleiton Silva, Leon Augustine, Naorem Roshan Singh, Sivasakthi Narayanan, Akashdeep Singh