How Albert Roca shaped Bengaluru FC’s identity in the ISL
The Spaniard’s debut ISL season set the tone for years to come, laying the groundwork for a playing style and culture that still defines the club.

Bengaluru FC’s jump from the I-League to the ISL in 2017-18 raised plenty of questions. Would they adapt to the elevated pace and pressure of the ISL? Could they translate their previous success onto a new stage?
Under the leadership of Spanish tactician Albert Roca, the answer was emphatic. And it came not just through results, but through a brand of football that redefined what the club stood for in the ISL era.
That season, Bengaluru FC didn’t just arrive but they announced themselves. And though they would fall heartbreakingly short in the final, losing to Chennaiyin FC at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium, their journey that campaign would become the cornerstone of everything that followed.
Re-live all the actions from #ISLFinal 2017-18 where @ChennaiyinFC clinched their 2️⃣nd #ISL 🏆️#ISL10 #LetsFootball #BengaluruFC #ChennaiyinFC #ISLRecap #OnThisDay | @JioCinema @Sports18 pic.twitter.com/sWzK90u43f
— Indian Super League (@IndSuperLeague) March 17, 2024
Numbers that speak volumes

In their debut ISL campaign, Bengaluru FC topped the league with 40 points, a tally that included a then-record 13 wins in the league stage, a benchmark that remained unmatched until the 2020-21 season. They were ruthlessly efficient at both ends of the pitch, scoring 35 goals, the second-highest in the league while conceding just 16, the fewest by any team that season in the league.
Their defence was a wall, marshalled by the ever-reliable Juanan and the towering John Johnson while being protected by the midfield metronome Erik Paartalu. Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, who had just returned from Europe, proved his pedigree with a joint-high seven clean sheets.
At the other end of the pitch, Miku, Sunil Chhetri and Udanta Singh formed a front three that struck fear into opponents. Miku’s clever movement, Chhetri’s relentless drive and Udanta’s electric pace gave Roca a front line that could dismantle the best of defences.
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In the 40 goals that BFC scored that season overall, Chhetri and Miku accounted for 29 of them while Udanta topped the assists charts for the club with a tally of six assists.
Tactical mastery

Roca, who had previously served as assistant to Frank Rijkaard at FC Barcelona, joined Bengaluru FC in 2016 and led them to the AFC Cup final that same year. He had introduced a style that the team quickly adapted to, which made their transition to the ISL much smoother.
Possession-based and patient, Roca’s side were among the first in the ISL to combine tactical discipline with attacking flair. While some teams were still searching for their identity, Bengaluru FC looked like a well-oiled machine.
The influence of Spanish football extended beyond just the head coach. His assistant, Carles Cuadrat, was an astute reader of the game and integral to the team’s training methods and strategies. The seeds of long-term continuity were already being sown.
A final to forget but a future to remember
Despite finishing first in the league and brushing aside FC Pune City in the semi-finals, the final against Chennaiyin FC proved to be a disappointing night. Sunil Chhetri’s early goal ignited the crowd but Chennaiyin FC struck back through Mailson Alves and Raphael Augusto. The Blues ended on the wrong side of a 3-2 scoreline and Roca’s reign, at least as head coach, ended without silverware.
But in hindsight, that season was far from a failure. Roca had laid a strong footballing foundation. His tactical system, training standards and professional approach had seeped into the club’s culture. And when he departed, his assistant Carles Cuadrat was handed the reins, a decision that paid rich dividends.
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In 2018-19, Cuadrat led Bengaluru FC to their first-ever ISL Cup, defeating FC Goa in the final. It was a moment of redemption and one that carried Roca’s fingerprints. The core of the team, the tactical DNA and the belief had all been passed down from the man who started it all in the ISL.
Fast forward to 2023 and Roca returned to the club in a new capacity, this time as Technical Consultant. Bengaluru FC underwent a challenging 2023-24 campaign that had seen them miss out on the playoffs, having reached the final a season before which sparked questions about the future.

But true to the club’s resilient spirit, they bounced back in the 2024-25 season, reaching the final once again. While the ISL Cup eluded them, the revival in performances, energy and team cohesion was evident.
Bengaluru FC Technical Consultant Albert Roca spoke to BFC TV on his return to the Fortress, about the Blues' campaign, the energy of the fans and more. Watch! 🗣️#WeAreBFC #NothingLikeIt #BetterEveryday pic.twitter.com/yW9kL4vF6H
— Bengaluru FC (@bengalurufc) February 20, 2023
Gerard Zaragoza, once Cuadrat’s assistant, is now the man in charge. Much like Cuadrat had inherited the learnings of Roca, Zaragoza is continuing that chain by blending Roca’s structured possession play with his own tactical tweaks. The staff continuity over the seasons has helped Bengaluru FC maintain their footballing ideology, even amidst personnel changes.
More than just a season
For Bengaluru FC, Albert Roca’s 2017-18 season was more than just an impressive debut campaign. It showed the league that new entrants could set new standards. It taught the club that style and substance could coexist. And most importantly, it started a line of coaches and ideas that still shape the team’s playing style today.
The imprint of Roca’s philosophy remains visible in Zaragoza’s methods. And the club’s ambition to challenge for top honours traces back to that first ISL season under Roca.