Chennaiyin FC player-cum-coach Marco Materazzi and midfielder Bojan Djordjic faced the media ahead of the Hero Indian Super League (ISL) encounter against Kerala Blasters FC on Tuesday.
The match at Chennai’s Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium will be the first home game for Chennaiyin FC and it will be also the first Southern Derby of the inaugural Hero Indian League season.
“We are all looking forward to the first home game. The players are very excited,” Marco Materazzi told the media gathering.
Talking about the team and the inclusion of Indian players to the line-up, the Italian World Cupper said, “For me the passport is not important. Only thing that counts is performance. We have a squad of professionals and I am very happy with their attitude. If needed we will play more than five Indians, if they perform well.”
The Indian players like Abhishek Das and Denson Devadas were impressive so far and Materazzi has stated that he likes Abhishek Das’ “spirit and hard work.”
“He put in a shift for us but every player in our team is important starting from the Indians to the foreigners and the ones who start to the reserves,” Bojan Djordjic commented on Denson Devadas.
“We try to help each other out both on and off the field. We are gelling very well as a unit,” the midfielder continued.
“We have a great squad here and I am not just saying that for the sake of it. You saw how we played as a team in the first game. Even during the presentation of two of our players we were all together enjoying the moment. We will lose some games on the way but mentally we will always remain strong and remain as a unit.”
Asked about Kerala Blaster FC, Djordjic told, “They are a good side but we always try to do our best. Hopefully the rain gods will be with us and we will have a good game tomorrow.”
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