FC Goa head coach Manolo Marquez lauded Brison Fernandes’ talent and intends to provide him with more playing time as they continue their preparation for their second group game in the AFC Champions League Two.

The Goa-born creative playmaker made his ISL debut in the 2021-22 season but enjoyed his breakthrough campaign in the 2024-25 season under the guidance of Marquez. Brison racked up seven goals and two assists to his credit, earning him the prestigious Emerging Player of the Season accolade.

Following the Gaurs’ Kalinga Super Cup triumph in 2025, Marquez’s men qualified for the AFC Champions League Two preliminary stage, where they edged out Oman’s Al Seeb, paving their way to the AFC Champions League 2 group stage.

FC Goa were placed in Group D of the ACL Two along with Saudi Arabia’s Al Nassr, Iraq’s Al-Zawraa, and Tajikistan’s Istiklol. The Gaurs suffered a 0-2 defeat against Al-Zawraa in their group-stage opener at the Fatorda.

Brison came on as a second-half substitute in the match against Al-Zawraa, and his fresh pair of legs brought a positive impact, helping the Gaurs create chances in the final stretch of the match. Despite fighting hard until the final whistle, FC Goa finished the match empty-handed in front of the home crowd.

Marquez acknowledged that Brison could be an X-factor for the Gaurs in upcoming matches and believes the midfielder deserves more game time going forward.

"I need to give more minutes for Brison because he's a player, like all, particularly the offensive ones, who need confidence," Marquez said to The Times of India.

"He's very dangerous. I think if you look at it from the opponents' point of view, when he has the ball, it looks like something will happen,” he added.

The Spanish head coach heaped praise on Brison’s fighting spirit and his game-changing abilities in the offensive third. He predicted that the midfielder would emerge as a standout figure in the future, given his string of impactful performances last season.

"I am sure that Brison will be a very good player in the next (few) years for FC Goa, I hope for India too,” he remarked.

“He has a lot of personality. He's playing without a nail in his toe, problems with his ankle. I think Brison is now a real player, but he needs to play more minutes. He needs more minutes, and he will do it," Marquez concluded.