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Bengaluru FC recently began their preparations for the upcoming AFC Cup playoffs with a training session at the Bengaluru Football Stadium. New head coach Marco Pezzaiuoli took charge of the team for the first time during this session on Friday.
“My first training session with the team was very good and intense. It’s a different style of training and I thought the team would enjoy it and they did. From the first moment, they gave one hundred percent and that’s what I expect from them,” said Pezzaiuoli in an interaction with the media after the training session.
A total of 22 players attended the first session under the new head coach. They had to regroup quickly after a hectic ISL season that saw them staying long in Goa within a biosecure bubble.
Three players from the Bengaluru 'B' squad included in the session were Jagdeep Singh, Damaitphang Lyngdoh, and Omega Vanlalruaituanga. The youth team is critical to the future of Bengaluru FC and the new coach shared his thoughts on it as well.
“I watched the BFC B team play in two games and I was able to speak to them once too. We had some players from the youth team in the training session today and I want them to know that the doors to the first team are open for them. Having (Naushad) Moosa as the assistant coach helps me because our future is in the youth department,” Pezzaiuoli said.
Leon Augustine returns to training ahead of AFC Cup
Bengaluru FC's winger Leon Augustine returned to training after having recovered from an injury that he sustained during the ISL. The injury saw him miss the final league phase matches for the Blues.
Skipper Sunil Chhetri, who continues to recover from COVID-19, missed the first training session ahead of the AFC Cup. The club's new signing, Yrondu Musavu-King, meanwhile, has not yet joined the squad.
The Blues will play their first AFC Cup playoffs match on April 14th at the GMC Stadium in Bambolim. The complete fixtures for the AFC Cup will be released in a few days.
