FC Goa have dropped two crucial foreigners ahead of its maiden sojourn of the Asian Champions League.
Indian Super League (ISL) side FC Goa announced a 28-man squad for its debut season in the Asian Champions League. FC Goa Head Coach Juan Ferrando had to drop Igor Angulo and Alberto Noguera from the final roster due to the restrictive foreigner rule in Asian competitions. The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) only allows three foreigners along with a foreigner registered with an AFC member nation citizenship. The rule is commonly known as the ‘3+1’ rule.
Angulo was the league’s leading goal-scorer and Noguera was the biggest provider of goals across all eleven teams. However, Ferrando has opted for Ivan Gonzalez and James Donachie at the back and thus dropped the forward pair. Meanwhile, captain Edu Bedia retains his spot in the middle. As a result, the responsibility to score goals and create chances has fallen on the shoulders of Jorge Ortiz Mendoza. Former Dempo and Atletico Paranaense winger Romeo Fernandes makes a comeback to mainstream Indian football after a series of injury-plagued football years.
FC Goa will face Al-Wahda (UAE), Al-Rayyan (Qatar), and Persepolis (Iran) in the Asian Champions League. The Gaurs will kick start their campaign against Al-Rayyan in the Match Day 1 of the Asian Champions League on April 14. All the games will be played at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Fatorda.
FC Goa Squad for Asian Champions League
Goalkeepers: Mohammad Nawaz, Naveen Kumar, Shubham Dhas, Dheeraj Singh Moirangthem
Defenders: Sanson Pereira, Seriton Fernandes, Leander D’Cunha, Iván González (Spain), Mohamed Ali, James Donachie (Australia), Aibanbha Dohling, Saviour Gama, Adil Khan
Midfielders: Edu Bedia (Spain), Glan Martins, Princeton Rebello, Brandon Fernandes, Phrangki Buam, Redeem Tlang, Makan Winkle Chothe, Alexander Romario Jesuraj, Amarjit Singh Kiyam, Romeo Fernandes
Forwards: Jorge Ortiz (Spain), Devendra Murgaonkar, Ishan Pandita
