FC Goa has submitted their squad for the upcoming Champions League campaign to the AFC comprising of 28 players. The Gaurs begin their historic first voyage into continental club competition on April 14, 2021 when they take on Qatar’s Al-Rayyan.

As per the rules, all clubs are allowed to have no more than four foreign players in their squad. Out of this, one of them must belong to an AFC (Asian Football Federation) member association country. Australian defender James Donachie fulfills that criteria.

Forwards Igor Angulo and midfielder Alberto Noguera miss out from amongst the club’s foreign contingent that played in the Indian Super League. Meanwhile, Romeo Fernandes makes a comeback to the FC Goa first team for the first time since 2016.

The FC Goa squad sees 4 foreigners being named in the squad in addition to 11 players from the home state, Goa.

The Gaurs’ squad for the 2021 edition of the AFC Champions League is as follows:

Goalkeepers:

Mohammad Nawaz, Naveen Kumar, Shubham Dhas, Dheeraj Singh Moirangthem

Defenders:

Sanson Pereira, Seriton Fernandes, Leander D’Cunha, Iván González (Spain), Mohamed Ali, James Donachie (Australia), Aibanbha Dohling, Saviour Gama, Adil Khan

Midfielders:

Edu Bedia (Spain), Glan Martins, Princeton Rebello, Brandon Fernandes, Phrangki Buam, Redeem Tlang, Makan Winkle Chothe, Alexander Romario Jesuraj, Amarjit Singh Kiyam, Romeo Fernandes

Forwards:

Jorge Ortiz (Spain), Devendra Murgaonkar, Ishan Pandita

Five new faces in BFC squad

Bengaluru FC, on Thursday, announced their 29-man squad for the qualifiers of the 2021 AFC Cup, which begin with a Preliminary Stage Two clash against Nepalese side Tribhuvan Army FC, on April 14. As many as five Reserve team players have graduated, as Head Coach Marco Pezzaiuoli prepares for his first game in charge of the Blues.

The graduates from the club’s reserve side include goalkeeper Sharon Padattil, midfielders Damaitphang Lyngdoh and Muhammad Inayath, as well as strikers Akashdeep Singh and Sivasakthi Narayanan, who finished as top scorer in the Blues’ BDFA Super Division League campaign.

Gabonese defender Yrondu Musavu-King is the newest addition to the Blues’ foreign contingent, as he joins Juanan Gonzalez, Cleiton Silva and Erik Paartalu in the squad for the qualifying campaign. Skipper Sunil Chhetri will lead the side into a seventh season of continental football, with the 36-year-old having joined the side in Goa where preparations for the campaign are well underway.

The Blues’ Preliminary Stage Two clash against Tribhuvan Army FC kicks off at the GMC Stadium, in Bambolim, on April 14 and will be held behind closed doors.

Goalkeepers: Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, Lalthuammawia Ralte, Lara Sharma, Sharon Padattil

Defenders: Rahul Bheke, Pratik Chaudhari, Juan Gonzalez, Wungngayam Muirang, Ajith Kumar, Ashique Kuruniyan, Joe Zoherliana, Parag Shrivas, Yrondu Musavu-King, Biswa Darjee

Midfielders: Erik Paartalu, Suresh Wangjam, Harmanjot Khabra, Namgyal Bhutia, Emanuel Lalchhanchuaha, Damaitphang Lyngdoh, Muhammad Inayath

Forwards: Sunil Chhetri, Edmund Lalrindika, Udanta Singh, Cleiton Silva, Leon Augustine, Naorem Roshan Singh, Sivasakthi Narayanan, Akashdeep Singh

Head Coach: Marco Pezzaiuoli

Assistant Coach: Naushad Moosa