Another season of the Hero Indian Super League has entered the knock-out phase, and it is another season that sees Atlético de Kolkata in the top-four. While almost all players have played their part in ATK’s road to the semis, there has been a certain Spaniard who has been by far the most influential, the busiest and the most clinical when it comes to pulling the strings from the centre of the park. The spotlight has mostly been on Iain Hume largely thanks to his five goals but there is no denying it’s been 31-year-old Javi Lara the piece de resistance in most of Kolkata’s matches, stealing the show with his quick feet, deft touches, pin-point passing accuracy and fine finishing.Lara joined ATK in the second season of the ISL. Things did not start too well for him personally as he missed a penalty in Kolkata’s very first match that season against Chennaiyin FC, which Kolkata eventually won 3-2. However, he put that setback behind him and got accustomed to the playing style of Kolkata and soon moulded himself into an important player. An injury though cut short his debut stint with ATK and he had to leave after six matches that saw him score and provide once each.ATK made no hesitation in re-signing Lara for the third edition of the league, and he has repaid the faith by going from strength to strength. Kolkata had to thank the flamboyant playmaker for netting the only goal in his team’s first win of the campaign, against Kerala Blasters FC. He again scored in the very next game against Mumbai City FC, an 83rd-minute equaliser which helped save his team’s blushes playing against 10 men. His goal of the season came against Delhi Dynamos FC though, where he scored a 72nd-minute scorcher from a long way out to give his team a 2-1 lead. It’s another matter that Delhi, playing with 10 men, managed to get their equaliser before long.Besides these goals, the playmaker has had a lot of say when it comes to building up defining moves that more often than not end up as decent opportunities, if not goals. He is also ATK’s go-to man when it comes to taking corners and free-kicks from dangerous positions. A set-piece specialist, Lara can judge the pace of a ball and pick his target to perfection. He does not have an assist to his name as of yet, but he has led attacks and counter-attacks with plenty of gusto in almost all matches.Since playing in the top flight of Spanish football, the La Liga, for Eibar (for whom he also has a goal), Lara has had an incredible journey. The ISL is his first stint outside his homeland, and it is fair to say that he has done extremely well to adjust to the challenges of this unique and demanding league. Kolkata have a lot to thank him for this season in terms of reaching the semis, and a lot will depend on the dynamic Spaniard in ATK’s quest for a second title in three years.
