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Three days after their 1-1 draw against FC Goa, Bengaluru FC will lock horns with Chennaiyin FC in the Indian Super League on Wednesday. The Blues, ahead of their previous game, spent an extended spell in quarantine. Many of their players are out with knocks or still in quarantine.
With COVID-19 breaching the ISL bio-bubble in Goa and a flurry of positive cases following, teams have had to deal with external factors other than football. Asked by Sportskeeda how difficult it is to keep their head in the game, head coach Marco Pezzaiuoli said:
"It's not easy but we are professionals. We need to focus and prepare for how we want to play. The players in the squad know exactly what to do. We have a principle and that doesn't change. We can only change the tactics of how we approach the games."
Pezzaiuoli opened up about how many Bengaluru FC players will be unavailable for the next game. He said:
"We have a few problems in terms of personnel. Ashique had an injury after a sprint. Cleiton is a question mark, and we are not sure if Musavu-King can play again this season because we have to assess his injury. Sarthak is still in quarantine."
Pezzaiuoli added:
"I don't know if we have 20 or 16 players available for the next game. Some of them will come out of quarantine on matchday, but what I know is that they will give their best. As a coach, I have huge respect for the players because of the way they have played over the season."
"We have enough good players to beat them" - Bengaluru FC boss ahead of Chennaiyin FC clash
Meanwhile, Chennaiyin FC are coming into the game on the back of a 2-1 victory against NorthEast United FC. They have currently sealed fourth spot in the league standings with 18 points in 12 games. Asked how the Blues will approach the game, Marco Pezzaiuoli said:
"We only have three days after the FC Goa game and with almost 12 days of quarantine before that, maybe we cannot go with the same intensity. Maybe we drop back and make more of the transitions on the counter."
However, in response to a Sportskeeda query, the Bengaluru FC gaffer also spoke about the quality that the Chennai side possesses. He said:
"We won 4-2 the last time. It's clear they'll want to beat us and stay in the Top 4. We want to take the next step, which is taking the three points. It'll be a difficult game against a team who are organized in defense, compact in the center of midfield and very good in transition."
Pezzaiuoli added:
"They've also had a change of style and are pressing higher than before. Also, they're switching systems now. Their last system was a 3-5-2 but now they play 4-3-3 or 4-4-2. Chennaiyin FC will also have their five foreigners available, which I think is an advantage for them. We have a minimum of two or three out."
