Kerala Blasters FC forward Fedor Cernych leaves the club upon contract expiry

Kerala Blasters FC forward Fedor Cernych departed the club upon the expiry of his contract on May 31, 2024. The 33-year-old came in as a replacement for the injured Adrian Luna in January 2024. Luna played nine ISL matches for Kerala Blasters FC last season before being ruled out for the remainder of the campaign due to a knee injury.

Cernych, meanwhile, joined the Men in Yellow from the Cyprus-based club AEL Limassol. He played 10 matches for Kerala Blasters FC during the 2023-24 ISL in which he managed three goals and an assist.

Kerala Blasters FC's farewell post for Fedor Cernych on their official Instagram handle read:

"Thank you, @fediacer10 , for the unforgettable moments. All the best for what’s to come!"

A new chapter awaits Kerala Blasters FC

The three-time ISL runners-up qualified for the 2023-24 ISL playoffs after finishing fifth in the points table with 33 points from 22 matches. Unfortunately, the away playoff knockout fixture against Odisha FC did not go well for them.

Fedo Cernych broke the deadlock in the 67th minute against hosts Odisha FC at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar. However, the Kalinga Warriors bounced strongly by scoring two goals to secure a 2-1 victory which helped them qualify for the semifinals.

It was Kerala Blasters' third successive ISL playoff appearance under Ivan Vukomanovic. In his very first season, Vukomanovic helped them reach the 2021-22 ISL final where they lost against Hyderabad FC. The Serbian departed the club in May 2024 after his three-year tenure at the helm and has been replaced by 48-year-old Swedish manager Mikael Stahre.

Although Kerala did not win any silverware under Vukomanovic, he became the crowd favorite and was loved so much among the passionate Blasters fans across the state.

Meanwhile, Mikael Stahre will be hoping to turn Kerala Blasters' fortunes around upon his arrival which marks the beginning of yet another fresh chapter in the history of the club.