2021 AFC Champions League | FC Goa announce 28-man squad, Igor Angulo and Alberto Noguera overlooked
FC Goa have announced a 28-member squad for the upcoming 2021 AFC Champions League, but have overlooked Igor Angulo and Alberto Noguera for the four-man foreigner's quota. The Gaurs will play their first group stage match against Qatari side Al-Rayyan at the Fatorda Stadium, on April 14.
With the FC Goa management parting ways with long-standing manager Sergio Lobera, the onus was on Juan Ferrando to steady the ship. The fellow Spaniard did a fairly decent job during his first season in charge of the ‘Gaurs,’ having guided them to a top-four finish in the 2020-21 ISL. But now they are set for a stiffer challenge in the upcoming AFC Champions League that kicks-off next week.
Unlike the ISL, only four foreigners can be registered by a team in the continental meet and a similar number can be fielded. After much speculation, the Goan outfits have stuck with Ivan Gonzalez, James Donachie, Jorge Ortiz, and Edu Bedia, which implies that Igor Angulo and Alberto Noguera will miss out on the tournament.
This comes as a surprise as Igor Angulo was the golden boot winner in the 2021 ISL, while Alberto Noguera was the highest assist provider in the season. Meanwhile, regulars like Brandon Fernandes, Seriton Fernandes, Alexander Romario Jesuraj, and young Ishan Pandita have all been included in the squad.
FC Goa squad for the 2021 AFC Champions League:
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