Bengaluru FC’s final fixture in the league stage of the Hero Indian Super League (Hero ISL) 2018-19 campaign will see them take on Jamshedpur FC at the JRD Tata Sports Complex on Wednesday. The Blues have been confirmed table-toppers following their sensational 3-0 win over FC Goa.

With one eye firmly fixed on the semis, Bengaluru boss, Carles Cuadrat would be keen to avoid any unnecessary injury situation arising out of the Jamshedpur tie. Speaking at his pre-match press conference, the Spaniard echoed this idea. “No, we have a lot of people working in Bengaluru for the semi-finals. We are coming with a mix of players, but I can tell you that in the first XI, we are going to start four players who have been playing most of the games with the ‘B’ team this season. Three more ‘B’ team players will be on the bench. We have the privilege because we are going to be first on the table.”

Cuadrat also confirmed that he wasn’t planning on using many of his star players. “There are players from the first team squad. I am not going to tell you the line-up but yes, we have players that can even be in the first XI of the semi-finals. It will be a mix of players,” he said.

Looking at the Jamshedpur FC side, Cuadrat words of encouragement for his countryman and Jamshedpur FC boss, Cesar Ferrando. “I think Jamshedpur has been one of the best football teams during this season. They have been playing excellent football. I know Cesar Ferrando personally from Spain. I have a lot of respect for him. He really knows how to make good football for a team. Unfortunately, they are not in the semi-finals,” he said.

The 50-year-old finished by identifying how Indian football was developing and the role some of his countrymen were playing in it. “I think that one good thing about Spanish players and Spanish coaches is that they are professionals. When they go to a place, they give everything they have to build something. I think we can see that the teams normally offer a good way to play a game. But we are also very respectful about other kind of understanding of the game,” he said.

“John Gregory won the Super League with Chennai and Steve Coppell is also is doing a good job. Now Phil Brown is with Pune City. Its not about English or Dutch or Spanish. Its about what the supporters like. What every country needs when they are developing. I think normally every coach who is coming here are really involved in the project and they are doing a good job.”

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