FC Goa had a shaky campaign in the 2022-23 Indian Super League (ISL) season. They managed just eight wins last season out of 20 matches and narrowly missed out on the last playoff spot.

They have traditionally been a strong force in the ISL with six playoff appearances out of 10 seasons. With ISL Cup-winning coach Manolo Marquez at the helm, they will hope to return to the playoffs this season and win some silverware.

Marquez was instrumental in turning Hyderabad FC into a feared team in the ISL. He developed many talented youngsters into current stars like Akash Mishra, Ashish Rai, Chinglensana Singh and many others and lifted the Cup during the 2021-22 season. 

With a refreshed squad and a former ISL Cup-winning coach at the helm, the Gaurs will hope to give a good account of themselves this season.

Performance in the ISL so far

FC Goa have been a strong contender for the ISL Cup since the first season. Since their lowest-ever finish in the 2016-17 season, they have been steadily progressing with good performances and good finishes. They won the League Shield in the 2019-20 season and became the first-ever Indian club to qualify for the AFC Champions League under Sergio Lobera. They also won their first trophy with the Durand Cup win under Juan Ferrando. However, the ISL Cup has always eluded them.

Season	Outcome
2014	2nd position
2015	1st position (Runners-up)
2016	8th position
2017-18	3rd position
2018-19	2nd position
2019-20	1st position (League Shield Winner)
2020-21	4th position
2021-22	9th position
2022-23	7th position

Team composition and transfer dealings

FC Goa have used the transfer market to strengthen certain key positions and have also begun to develop youngsters to help the team move forward.

Certain key figures have left the team after the 2022-23 season with the most notable ones being Edu Bedia, Iker Guarrotxena and Aibanbha Dohling. Carlos Martinez, Odei Onaindia and Carl McHugh have been the among main foreign arrivals.

INs: Carlos Martinez, Paulo Retre, Carl McHugh, Odei Onaindia, Rowlin Borges, Sandesh Jhingan, Jay Gupta, Víctor Rodríguez, Raynier Fernandes, Boris Singh, Udanta Singh.

OUTs: Edu Bedia, Redeem Tlang, Lenny Rodrigues, Alvaro Vazquez, Iker Guarrotxena, Nikhil Prabhu, Anwar Ali, Makan Chothe, Hernan Santana, Marc Valiente, Nongdamba Naorem. 

For the full FC Goa squad, click here.

Key Players

Odei Onaindia

The Spanish defender was one of the key figures for Hyderabad FC in the 2022-23 season. His inclusion added some much-needed solidity at the back and helped Hyderabad FC qualify for the playoffs last season. With a wealth of experience in India already, the Spaniard will be an asset to the team.

Carlos Martinez

The Spanish striker has had considerable experience in the lower leagues of Spain and has been one of the highest scorers in almost all of the teams he has played for in his career. He has also plied his trade in Asia before with Tokyo Verdy in the Japanese second-division football league. His addition will help FC Goa considerably in scoring a good amount of goals and challenging for titles this season.

Fixtures

FC Goa start their campaign against Punjab FC at the Fatorda stadium in Goa. Their next game will be another home game as they face Odisha FC.

Their last game before the new year will be against Northeast United FC at the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium in Guwahati.

For FC Goa's full fixtures, click here.