PANAJI
Ahead of a crucial game against Syria in the Intercontinental Cup, Indian football team head coach Manolo Marquez addressed the media, joined by defender Jay Gupta. India must win the match, scheduled for Monday, at 7:30 pm at the GMC Balayogi Stadium in Hyderabad, to defend their title.
Manolo Marquez, leading the Indian team for only the second time, predicted a tough match against Syria, who are ranked 93rd in the FIFA World Rankings, 31 places above India. “It will be a difficult game for both teams. We both want to win, so it’s going to be tough,” said Marquez.
Defender Jay Gupta shared the coach’s thoughts, adding, “We are determined to follow the coach’s plan. It’s a game where we have to fight for the cup.”
India had only two training sessions before their first match against Mauritius. When asked about having more time with the squad, Marquez admitted, “Of course, this time is still not enough, but we’ll try to play well. We need to be competitive and focus on understanding what we want to do.”
Marquez acknowledged the pressure of playing in front of home fans but emphasised that he is more focused on developing the team’s style of play. “We hope to win the tournament, but I prefer that we play good, attacking football, even if we don’t win. The most important thing is for the team to understand my ideas,” he said. The coach added that the goal in the upcoming FIFA window is to continue building the team’s confidence and process.
India has only scored two goals in eight competitive matches this year, and improving goal-scoring remains a challenge. Marquez commented, “We need to be in better positions on the pitch, get into the box more, and take more risks. We’re still in preseason while Syria has been competing in different championships, but we expect a good game and need to stay positive.”
Jay Gupta, who had a breakthrough season with FC Goa and started India’s first game against Mauritius, spoke about the positive influence of Marquez. “Many of the players, including myself, have worked with Marquez before, so he’s a familiar figure. The atmosphere in the dressing room is very positive, and we trust what he’s asking us to do,” he said.
Coach Marquez has hinted that Jay Gupta, who played left-back under him at FC Goa and for India, may be used in his natural position as a center-back. When asked about his preferred role, Gupta said, “I’m naturally a center-back, but I’m happy to play wherever I can help the team. It depends on where I can contribute the most.”
With the Intercontinental Cup on the line, both India and Syria are gearing up for what promises to be an intense and competitive match.
