'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
The Indian Super League has attracted several stars from Europe. Marquee signings like Freddie Ljungberg, Robert Pires, Alessandro Del Piero, Marco Materazzi, Roberto Carlos, Diego Forlan have caught the eyes of the Indian fans.
Many of the players have played together before and ended up being opponents after they came to India. Let's have a look at the five ISL opponents who were teammates before.
5) John Arne Riise and Aaron Hughes
John Arne Riise was signed by Fulham in the Premier League on 13th July 2011 on a 3-year contract. He made his debut for them on 21st July 2011 and went up to play 87 games before being released on 23rd May 2014 at the end of his contract.
On the contrary, Aaron Hughes had a much more extensive campaign at Fulham with 196 games across 7 years from 2007 to 2014.
Riise and Hughes spearheaded the Whites defence for 3 seasons from 2011 to 2014 before being released.
John Arne Riise entered the Indian Super League, as he penned a one-season deal with Delhi Dynamos in 2015. He also played for Chennaiyin FC in the 2016 edition of the cash-rich league before retiring.
Aaron Hughes started his India sojourn as he captained the Kerala Blasters to being runners-up in the 2016 season.
4) Lucio and Marco Materazzi
Materazzi was then signed by Internazionale for €10 million in 2001 and played for the Nerazzurri for 10 years with 209 matches under his belt. Lucio joined him in 2009 and they won the UEFA Champions League 2009-10. Lucio and Marco were rock solid in the 2009-10 season as they completed the treble by clinching the Copa Italia and the Seria A as well.
Marco Materazzi coached Chennaiyin FC for 3 seasons and won the title in his second season for the Super Machans. Lucio captained the FC Goa side in the 2015-16 season, as his side fell short of Chennaiyin FC in a keenly contested final which Chennaiyin won by 3-2.
3) Freddie Ljungberg and Robert Pires
Ljungberg was signed by Arsenal in 1998 for £3 million and went onto the play 216 matches, netting 46 goals and earned the tag of being an Arsenal legend. Robert Pires joined the Gunners in 2000 for £6 million and he went on to play 189 Matches, netting 62 goals.
Both, Robert Pires and Freddie Ljungberg were part of the 'Invincible Arsenal Squad', which won the Premier League, remaining unbeaten in the 2003-04 season under Arsene Wenger.
Pires and Ljunberg joined the ISL bandwagon in its inaugural season in 2014. Ljunberg had an unsatisfied outing with the Islanders, Mumbai City FC as he decided to end his contract midway and return back to England after showing up on just four occasions on the pitch.
Robert Pires, on the contrary, had a better Indian Super League Campaign with FC Goa. Pirès made his league debut for Goa on 15 October 2014, a 1–2 defeat to Chennaiyin FC. On 25 October 2014, he was given a two-match ban for insulting Atlético de Kolkata's manager Antonio López Habas. He scored his first league goal on 13 November 2014 in a 4–1 away win over Delhi Dynamos. Pirès was released by FC Goa on 13 March 2015 after playing 8 games.
2) Dimitar Berbatov and Robbie Keane
Robbie Keane signed for Tottenham Hotspur in 2002 and had the time of his life playing 197 matches, and netting 80 goals for them. He was released in 2008 and was called back for a second stint at the White Hart Lane.
Dimitar Berbatov joined Keane as he signed a £10.9 million deal with Tottenham Hotspur in 2006. He went on to play for the Spurs for 2 years with 70 matches under his belt, finding the net for 27 times.
Berbatov and Keane proved lethal as Tottenham finished an impressive 5th in the 2006-07 Premier League before winning the League Cup in the next season.
Kerala Blasters roped in the Bulgarian for the Indian Super League in 2017. Berbatov had a dismal opening match, as he did not get the ball as he would have wished against ATK.
Robbie Keane signed for ATK for the 2017 edition of the Indian Super League, and his side faced Berbatov's Kerala Blasters. Keane is currently unavailable, citing injury concerns, hence the duo could not face each other in the Kochi leg. However, they can well cross swords in the Kolkata leg in 2018.
1) Alessandro Del Piero and David Trezeguet
The Juventus legends are no strangers to the football fans in India. Del Piero joined the Vecchia Signora in 1993 at the age of 19. He went on to play 513 matches for the Old Lady, netting 208 goals until his farewell in 2012.
David Trezeguet joined Juventus in 2000 and played for 8 seasons until the end of his contract in 2010. He showed up for the White and Black Strips in 245 games and scored 138 times.
Both Del Piero and Trezeguet formed a formidable pair as Juventus won 5 Seria A titles, 1 Serie B title and 2 Supercoppa Italia.
Alessandro Del Piero was signed by Delhi Dynamos in 2014 and played 10 games for the Lions, scoring a free-kick in the final league game against Chennai in Chennai in a 2-2 draw.
David Trezeguet also signed up for FC Pune City in 2014 and scored two goals in the campaign in 8 goals. Trezeguet faced Del Piero twice in the league. Delhi Dynamos were held to a goalless at home by FC Pune City, who suffered a home loss to Delhi Dyamos by 0-1 in the return leg.
