With the 2018 AFC Cup looming large, Bengaluru have announced their preliminary 30-man squad for the knockout rounds. Carles Cuardrat’s men will first face Turkmenistan’s champions Altyn Asyr FK in the first leg of the inter-zone semi-final at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium on August 22.

New head coach Cuardat spoke of the importance of their pre-season trip to Spain, which served to get them in shape ahead of a long season. “We have returned from a very satisfying pre-season tour of Spain and it all builds up to two important AFC Cup games we will be playing in the span of a week. The boys have done everything we asked of them over the last one month. Now is about being competitive and giving our best shot in these games.”

Among the foreign contingent of players are star forward Miku, midfielder Eric Paartalu, defender Juanuan Gonzalez and new signing Xisco Hernandez. Dimas Delgado will miss the clash owing to an injury concern.

Cuadrat has also called up thirteen players from the Bengaluru B side, some of whom are graduates of the U18 side of the BFC Residential Academy.

Here is the full list of players:

Goalkeepers: Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, Soram Poirei, Aditya Patra

Defenders: Juanan Gonzalez, Rahul Bheke, Harmanjot Khabra, Sairuat Kima, Rino Anto, Nishu Kumar, Asheer Akhtar, Gursimrat Singh Gill, Biswa Darjee, Rakesh Oram

Midfielders: Xisco Hernandez, Erik Paartalu, Robinson Singh, Bidyananda Singh, Boithang Haokip, Kean Lewis, Altamash Sayed, Ajay Chhetri, Naorem Roshan Singh, Namgyal Bhutia, Lalengzama Vangchhia, Myron Mendes, Leon Augustine

Forwards: Sunil Chhetri, Thongkhosiem Haokip, Miku, Udanta Singh