Shillong, March 24: The difference between India and Bangladesh in terms of FIFA rankings does not make the former complacent as the coach Manolo Marquez said the rank is not indicative of the team’s qualities, while admitting that the inclusion of midfielder Hamza Choudhury will add to the Bengal Tigers’ strength.
India with 126th position in FIFA rankings will take on Bangladesh (185) in the AFC Asian Cup 2027 Qualifiers Final Round campaign on March 25 at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium here at 7 pm. The match will be streamed live on JioHotstar and telecast on Star Sports 3.
“Bangladesh have very good players. They’ve had the same coach Javier Cabrera for the last three years with the same philosophy. Most of the players are the same since they played against Maldives last November. Continuity is important.Hamza, obviously, is a good player who was playing in the Premier League. I think it’s good for not just Bangladesh, but Asian football that such players are playing for the national team. I feel that the teammates will be very motivated to play with him.We always expect the best version of the opponent. Our approach to every game is similar, whoever the opponents are – Maldives, Bangladesh, Hong Kong or Singapore. You need to know the good and bad things about them. But we can’t change our style of play. We know that if we play a good game, we will win tomorrow (on Tuesday),” said Márquez.
Defender Sandesh Jhingan, who accompanied Márquez said,”One thing we know is that whenever India play Bangladesh, we expect a match full of high intensity, passion and adrenaline, be it in football or any sport. We’re focussed on getting our result. If you’re well prepared, you can beat any team, and if not, any team can beat you. We go into every game with a positive attitude”.
On Sunil Chhetri’s return, Márquez said, “Sunil is a legend in Indian football and the top-scorer of the season. We had problems scoring in my first few games, but not in creating chances though. I think he’s a great addition for us.”
Bangladesh head coach Javier Cabrera, said, “I think it’s going to be a very exciting game. We are very motivated. The team has been training and working hard for 24 days already, which is a long time, honestly. We are confident, stronger than ever, and expect a tight game. Hopefully, we will make things very difficult for India.
Bangladesh captain and midfielder Jamal Bhuyan, who formerly played for Mohammedan Sporting in the I-League, said, “It feels good to be back in India. I have good memories here, so, of course, I’m excited for tomorrow’s match. We know it’s going to be hard, but we’ll give our best.”
