Atletico de Kolkata retain midfielder Borja Fernandez for second ISL season

Borja Fernandez while playing for Atletico in last season’s ISL

Kolkata, June 17 (IANS)

Indian Super League (ISL) title holders Atletico de Kolkata (ATK) on Wednesday announced they have retained Spanish central midfielder Borja Fernandez, who played a key role in the team's 2014 triumph. On his return to Spain after ISL, Borja signed a six-month contract with La Liga club SD Eibar.

"After signing Iain Edward Hume and retaining two international recruits Josemi and Ofentse Nato for this season, the team has now decided to keep one of its star player from the last season, hoping for an encore during the upcoming season," ATK said in a media release about Borja, who has played a total of 187 games in La Liga.

The franchise also announced it has decided to retain fitness expert Miguel Martinez and goalkeeping coach Predipkumar Bhaktawer.

Atletico performed at an optimum level of fitness last season: ATK manager, Antonio Lopez

"Our head coach and the management are making some prudent choices which will enable us to perform the best in the upcoming season. The overall experience of the players we have selected till date is a rich blend of experience along with diversity in their styles of playing the game," said ATK co-owner Sanjiv Goenka.

On Martinez, ATK head coach Antonio Lopez Habas said: "I and the management were satisfied with the performance of Miguel Martinez in the last season hence decided to keep him for this year too. Despite the packed fixture last year (ISL), we performed at an optimum level of fitness on the pitch."

Apart from industrialists Goenka, Parekh and Harshavardhan Neotia, former Indian cricket team captain Sourav Ganguly is a co-owner of ATK.