Every season, one game amplifies the Kerala Blasters crowd in Kochi—the visit of Bengaluru FC. The visitors lost their last three ISL matches here, and the home crowd most certainly contributed to those results. Most of the BFC players would have difficult memories of playing in Kochi, but not their head coach, Gerard Zaragoza.
"I only went one time to Kerala, and we won. That is my only previous memory. That is what I want, to go there and take three points," Zaragoza said in his pre-match press conference in Bengaluru on Wednesday. The match he fondly remembers was on November 5, 2018, when a Krcmarevic own goal helped Bengaluru secure three points in Kochi. Zaragoza was the assistant to Carles Cuadrat back then.
Buoyed by that memory and their uplifting form this season, Zaragoza did not sound concerned about the upcoming date with Blasters even as media persons reminded him of how the rivalry has intensified since the last time he was part of the BFC set-up.
"We are going to a stadium where, in the last two seasons, we could not take three points. But we are ready to fight. We are going to face a good team with a good stadium and good supporters, but we are in a good mood. I think that is most important."
Since taking charge as head coach at the end of last year, Zaragoza has re-energised BFC, who sit top of the ISL table with four wins and a draw from five rounds. They had the good fortune of playing the first three at home and made the most of the opportunity by winning all three, scoring ten and conceding none. A goalless draw in their first away match in Mumbai before the international break was followed by a 1-0 home win against Punjab FC last Friday.
"I'm trying to think about my team more than the other one. I know what they (his players) can do, and we try to improve every day," he said. Blasters have not been as brilliant as Bengaluru, but Mikael Stahre's side is unbeaten in their last four since losing the opener at home to Punjab (1-2).
