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Hyderabad FC will face Kerala Blasters at the Gachibowli Stadium in their seventh 2022-23 Indian Super League (ISL) match of the season on Saturday (November 19).
Hyderabad will come into the match as the table-toppers of the ISL with 16 points to their name. They are yet to taste defeat in the league this season, winning five and drawing one of their six games so far.
Kerala Blasters, on the other hand, are placed fifth in the standings with nine points. Ivan Vukomanovic and Co. go into the game high on confidence, having won both of their last two matches.
Addressing the media ahead of the clash, Hyderabad head coach Manolo Marquez stated that expects a tough match against the Yellow Army:
"Preparations and work this week are similar to the former weeks. We know that we play against a very good team but every game is very difficult. We know that it is the same game as the final last season.
"We know they arrive in a very good moment after two wins. For sure, it will be a very difficult game for both sides."
The Nizams notably beat Kerala Blasters on penalties to win the ISL trophy last term. As we await a repeat of last season's final, Marquez explained what he expects from the match:
"Not only the final, if we recall how the games were against Kerala, all of them were very very equal. In the first leg, Kerala won 1-0, but we could have equalized. The second leg I remember perfectly, we won 2-1 and it was the day we qualified for the top four, but Kerala had a lot of chances.
"That day, in that way we had very good luck. And the final, it is true that we scored a goal in the final moment but I think that was very very equal and more or less, the draw was fair. Finally, it was in the penalties that we got the title."
He added:
"But, all the games were very very difficult for both teams with possibilities for Kerala and possibilities for us too. I think that tomorrow it will be similar."
Hyderabad played their last ISL match on November 9, beating Jamshedpur 1-0. Asked if a 10-day break will stand the Nizams in good stead against Kerala Blasters, Marquez replied:
"In some moments, it is okay but it is not too much time. It is not like last season. In the bubble, sometimes you play after three days and the opponent play after six days and the same with us.
"I think Kerala played on the 13th. Six days are more than enough to recover. It is not an important factor. In the bubble, yes, it was important because you play games very consecutively."
Hyderabad conceded three goals in their season opener against Mumbai City FC but have since kept a clean sheet in each of their last five matches. Marquez, though, does not want to be carried away by it:
"It's true obviously, the statistics are there, it's five consecutive clean sheets but it's true that the opponents had chances to score in every game. FC Goa missed a penalty, I remember. This is normal.
"In football, when you keep clean sheets - yes, for sure, there was one game we didn't receive chances in our goal - the normal thing is that you receive at least two-three chances. If the other team doesn't score, then you are happy because it's a clean sheet."
The Spanish tactician added:
"Last season, the questions were the opposite. We were on top, but practically we conceded one goal in every game. If you don't concede one goal, obviously, it is impossible that you lose.
"The teams who want to finish in the highest parts of the table usually don't concede goals. This is not our main target. In fact, I think that we can play better. It is true that we don't concede goals."
Marquez went on to stress that he is pleased with his team's ability to bounce back even if they concede goals:
"The thing is that against Mumbai we conceded one goal but the team reacted very well. Last season, it was like this. Nine times last season, the opponents scored before us but we either equalized the game or even win.
"This is a strong mentality. I'm more satisfied with this than with clean sheets. Clean sheets, of course, they are fantastic but we are only six games in, this [league] is very long. Let's see what happens."
Bartholomew Ogbeche netted 18 goals in 20 ISL matches for Hyderabad last season. However, he has managed to find the back of the net just twice this term.
Asked if he is concerned about the striker's form, Marquez replied:
"If he had scored that penalty against NorthEast United FC - now it is Ivan [Kaliuzhnyi] from Kerala Blasters - he would have been the top scorer and you wouldn’t ask me this question. There are good moments, bad moments.
"I always prefer to have Bart in my team than in the opposite team. I'm very convinced that he will score goals this season. It's dangerous to say one number because you'll remember me if it doesn't come true. But for sure, he'll score goals."
Hyderabad cannot compete with Mumbai City FC and ATK Mohun Bagan in the long run, feels Marquez
Mumbai City FC are just one point behind Hyderabad in the table although they have played one more game. ATK Mohun Bagan, on the other hand, are six points behind the Nizams with a game in hand.
Marquez is of the view that his team cannot compete with the ISL big guns in the long term:
"People have to understand that we can't compete with Mumbai and ATK Mohun Bagan in the long term. In a single game, we can beat every team, we have a good team, but these teams, they have a lot of players. If you see Mumbai's bench [against Bengaluru FC], [they are] with Alberto Noguera, Mourtada Fall, Vinit Rai, Vikram [Singh].
In my country, it's the same. There's Barcelona and Real Madrid and then the other teams. They play good, some of them get results but in the long term, the normal thing is that Barcelona and Real Madrid are in the top two. When I arrived here in the first season, it was very clear the difference between Mumbai and ATK Mohun Bagan and the other teams."
It is now only a matter of time before we find out if Hyderabad can keep their unbeaten run intact against Kerala Blasters on Saturday.
