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Sergio Lobera has expressed his delight on being appointed the new manager of Indian Super League (ISL) side Mumbai City FC ahead of the 2020-21 season. Lobera said that he is delighted to be working for the City Football Group, calling it the 'best' in the world.
The former FC Goa manager knows the ISL inside-out, having managed the Gaurs to their first-ever title win, and he joins Mumbai City FC with expectations running high at the club.
"I am absolutely delighted to join Mumbai City FC. I have enjoyed my time in the ISL so far, but for me, there is still much to be achieved and I believe we will have the players, partners and management to be very competitive next season," Lobera told Mumbai City FC's official media channel.
"I think the Islanders have a lot of potential and I’m looking forward to working with the players as soon as possible. I know this is an amazing project. I am delighted to work for the best football group in the world, the City Group. Mumbai City FC is a club with great potential, there is ambition here and I want to be part of that," Lobera said.
Lobera was an assistant coach at Barcelona in 2012 and spent eight years within the famous coaching setup of the Spanish club. The 'Barca way' of playing is something that has stayed with him ever since.
I want Mumbai City FC fans to enjoy the way we win: Sergio Lobera
Sharing his footballing philosophy, Lobera said:
"Obviously, as a coach, I think it is very important to win, but I believe the most important thing is the way we can win. I want to win but I want people to enjoy the way we win. I want the fans to enjoy the whole ninety minutes, and not just when the game is over."
"Eight years working in Barcelona is a long time, and my football education comes from this period. I believe in this kind of football. Obviously, I learnt a lot of things, and thank god I have had offers to choose the best club to work with, where we can play this kind of football," Lobera said.
When it comes to player announcements, Mumbai City FC have almost maintained a radio silence for the duration of the transfer window. As other clubs went ahead and announced their new signings as soon as they were confirmed, Mumbai City FC is yet to make any major announcements.
The likes of Bartholomew Ogbeche and Adam LeFondre are said to have already signed with Mumbai City FC, but the announcements have not been made official just yet. However, before the transfer window closes on October 20, all the signings are expected to be made official.
