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Delhi Dynamos have set the Indian Super League alight even before a ball is kicked in the cash-rich league. Delhi narrowly missed out on a semi-final spot in last season’s Indian Super League drawing their last match against table toppers Chennaiyin FC.
Delhi had the most expensive player in the league in the shape of Italian legend Alessandro del Piero. Along with Morten Skoubo, Hans Mulder and Gustavo Marmentini they made up a very exciting attacking team. They also had some very talented Indian players such as Francis Fernandes etc.
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This season, however, they have acquired three players who have jointly won five UEFA Champions League medals in Roberto Carlos, John Arne Riise and Florent Malouda. Roberto Carlos will act as Delhi’s marquee player and manager.
Contrary to popular belief, he has experience in management with Russian club Anzhi Makhachkala and Turkish clubs Sivasspor and Akhisar Belediyespor. Buth whether he can perform at the level of football that the Indian Super League has to offer remains to be seen, but if Delhi get a free kick anywhere close to goal, you can be sure there is only one person who will take it.
The new signings
Riise is the best signing in the lot made by Delhi. The 34-year-old Norwegian played in the Cypriot top division last season with APOEL winning the league and cup double. He is still in really good shape and could easily play anywhere in Europe. He still has the pace and the versatility to play as a left back, left wing-back or a flat out left winger. He is a great addition to the squad as his experience will be key coming the end of the season as to where Delhi will finish.
Florent Malouda was a part of the FC Metz squad, who were relegated from the Ligue 1 last season. In his 31 appearances for the club, Malouda scored just 3 goals and more importantly provided just 5 assists. For a player of his standard the numbers look pretty bad but there is a notable difference in standard between the ISL and the French top division. If he is able to recreate the magic that won him so many fans at Stamford Bridge, the Delhi fans are in for a treat.
Chicao was an important part of the Corinthians team that won the all major trophies in Brazil along with the Club World Cup in 2012. Last season, however, he made just eight appearances, but Carlos would never sign a player, a Brazillian at that, if he wasn’t sure about the players capabilities. He is a hard tackling defender who is very good at reading the game as well.
Although he has not made a name for himself yet, Adil Nabi might just be the best signing that the ISL side have made this season. On loan from West Brom, the youngster is rated very highly by the coaches at the Hawthorns. Blessed with lightning pace, the youngster is brilliant from dead-ball situations as well. He is definitely the one to watch out for this season.
Along with the new signing, Dynamos have also retained the services of Dutch midfielder Hans Mulder and Brazillian forward Gustavo Marmentini dos Santos. Both players appeared in 13 of the 14 matches that Delhi played in, with the former scoring three goals and the Brazillian come up with 5. They were arguably the two best players in Delhi’s maiden campaign and have obviously done enough to be called up for the second season as well.
The Indian Contingent
In the first ever Indian Super League auction, Delhi were one of the most active teams buying Bengaluru FC forward Robin Singh for Rs. 51 lakhs and Pune FC captain Anas Edathodika for Rs. 41 lakhs. Both players have experience playing in the I-League and are considered as important players in their respective clubs.
In the ISL draft, Sehnaj Singh was the biggest signing that was made by the North Indian club. The Mohun Bagan midfielder was exceptional in the 2015 I-League playing a major role in the Kolkata giant’s maiden league win since the league was re-launched as the I-League.
The club have now embarked on a pre-season tour of Sweden, where the club will make further history by playing a friendly against a first division club as a warm up for the Indian Super League.
Delhi have a great mix of youth and experience in their foreign as well as domestic contingent. They will definitely be one of the favorites for this season's ISL.
