ISL 2018-19: 5 Key Players for FC Goa This Season

FC Goa have always been one of the dominant forces right from the launch of the Hero Indian Premier League in 2014. Qualifying for the playoffs has not been a daunting task for the blues, but the failure to cross the victory line in semi-finals and finals has always been a conundrum.

Robert Pires, Andre Santos, Lucio, and Manuel Lanzarote are some of the players to have worn the famous blue shirt at the Fatorda. There have not been too many changes at the club, with the legendary Zico spending three years with the blues and Spanish international Sergio Lobera Rodriguez taking over the Brazilian mastermind last season. The 41-year-old not only took the Blues to the semifinals, but the Goa faithful witnessed scintillating football at full-throttle as his side finished as top scorers in last year's tournament.

Goa have been active in the transfer market, with Manuel Lanzarote and Bruno Pinheiro departing from the club which paved way for the new incomers. Carlos Pena, Miguel Palanca, Mourtada Fall, Jakichand Singh, Lenny Rodrigues, and Nirmal Chhetri will be featuring for the blues in the upcoming season.

With another campaign of high expectations on the cards, let's look at the five players who could play a big hand in the forthcoming season for FC Goa.

#5 Carlos Pena (Left-back)

The Barcelona product decided to leave his country following an incessant approach from the Indian Super League club FC Goa in 2018. The left-back spent most of his time playing in the Spanish second division with various clubs including FC Barcelona B, Albacete, Valladolid, Oviedo, Getafe, and Lorca.

The Spanish international is balanced with his defensive and offensive approach by averaging 1.3 interceptions and 1.2 tackles per game. Besides that, he registered his name on the sheet by assisting his old teammates thrice.

With the former FC Goa defender Narayan Das plying his trade to Delhi Dynamos, Carlos Pena needs to bring all his experience into play as he has a key role in the upcoming campaign.

#4 Miguel Palanca (Winger)

Miguel Palanca is another Spanish custodian to sign with the Blues for the new season. Born in the northeast part of Spain, he kicked off his footballing career at Espanyol and made his debut for the reserve team in 2006.

His talent was visible to everybody, which prompted Real Madrid to sign the youngster. But, his career has not been in a proper standstill since that horrific move. He had stints with three Spanish clubs, Elche, Gimnastic and Numancia, before moving to Australia, Poland, and Cyprus. In 2018, he signed for FC Goa.

Proficient through the left and right flank, the 30-year-old has scored 51 times for all the clubs he has played till date. These numbers did not creep up because he has been used as a full-back at some of the clubs mentioned above.

The departure of Manuel Lanzarote has left a big void in the attacking midfield area and through the wings. Palanca is expected to step up and Manager Sergio looks forward to working with this tricky winger.

#3 Mourtada Fall (Centre-Back)

Standing tall at 6'11, Mourtada Fall is one of the names to watch out for in the upcoming season of the Indian Super League. Born in Dakar, the Senegalese international kicked off his footballing career with the Moroccan outfit Moghreb Tetouan, where he spent 7 years and went on to make 157 appearances.

After spending his whole career at Morocco and Kuwait, a new adventure awaits for the 30-year-old with FC Goa. With his gigantic figure, Fall is a threat from set pieces and his reading of the game makes him a dominant figure at the back for the Blues.

Mourtada is transferred in as a potential replacement for Bruno Pinheiro, who was a brick wall at the back. It will not be easy to replace the Portuguese, but the Senegalese international has a big role to play as a defensive leader ahead of the new season.

#2 Ahmed Jahouh (Midfielder)

Ahmed Jahouh and Edu Bedia were the heart of the midfield by providing an excellent balance between the defence and attack. The transmutation happens with ease, thanks to his superb passing ability. The Moroccan international joined FC Goa last season and took up the field 19 times.

The 30-year-old is an authoritative figure among the FC Goa squad after losing their captain Bruno Pinheiro. The defensive midfielder made 105 tackles and 30 interceptions last season proving his sway in the defensive part of the game with strong tackling and strong aerial presence.

Since he sits back with the defence, the Goa midfielder did not find the back of the net, but he did assist his teammates on a couple of occasions. As another season beckons, Ahmed Jahouh is in search of first silverware of his career.

#1 Ferran Corominas (Striker)

Manuel Lanzarote and Ferran Corominas proved to be a mind-boggling partnership last season having netted 31 goals in between them. But, with his absence of another key figure, there is so much weight on the shoulders of the current FC Goa striker.

The arrival of Miguel Palance has strengthened the forward line. In addition to this, the likes of Mandar Rao Desai, Hugo Boumous and Jakichand Singh are the additional available options for the manager Sergio Rodriguez.

Corominas' clinical nature makes him one of the deadliest strikers in the league at the moment. Leading scorer of last year's competition by bagging 18 goals from just 20 goals, Ferran Corominas is hoping to carry the same form into the new season as FC Goa prepare to press for the title.

Edited by Amar Anand