NEUFC begin preparations ahead of Durand Cup
is in a limbo. But that has not deterred
to start their preparations for the upcoming season, set to kick off with the Durand Cup on July 23.
And defending champions NEUFC, who will play their opener against Malaysian Armed Forces on Aug 2, began their pre-season training at Arjuna Bhogeswar Baruah Sports Complex — formerly the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium — in Guwahati on Sunday.
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"It feels great to come back home and get ready for the upcoming season," head coach Juan Pedro Benali said at the club's media day event, after the first training session, on Sunday. "We are here to fight for Highlanders, we are here to fight for all eight states of the Northeast and fight for the badge."
After a memorable season in which the Highlanders added their first silverware with Durand Cup and followed that up with an ISL campaign where they finished fourth in the league stage and earned a place in the knockouts, NEUFC have worked on building their squad for the upcoming sojourn.
While they have been able to retain the services of ISL top-scorer Alaaeddine Ajaraie and also roped in the likes of Spaniards Andy Rodriguez, a Real Madrid Academy graduate, former Sevilla FC attacker Jairo Samperio and midfielder Chema Nunez. They have also signed two of I-League's young talents in Mizo players Lalrinzuala Lalbiaknia and Lalbiakdika from Aizawl FC.
And the excitement among the fans was evident at the training session which they attended in huge numbers and which began by everyone paying tribute to their star striker Ajaraie's late grandmother.
"As defending champions of Durand Cup, we don't have any pressure. For us, the most important game is our first game of the tournament. We play for the Cup in the final, we need to win the final, but to reach the final, we need first to win our first game," Benali added at the press conference.
Captain Michel Zabaco, who was joined by local favourite Parthib Gogoi and Redeem Tlang at the interaction, too, spoke of the importance of the three weeks of pre-season training in getting them ready for the title defence.
"We have three weeks before we play our first game. We keep working hard to improve. We don't feel any pressure (as defending champions). There are other teams as well, but we will give 100 per cent to win the title," Zabaco said.
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