FC Goa will look to get back to winning ways when they host Delhi Dynamos at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Goa on Thursday. The Gaurs were one of the league’s top performers before they were humbled by Jamshedpur last week. Up against a struggling Delhi side, who have failed to register a victory so far, Goa will be hoping to register another comprehensive win.

At the pre-match press conference, head coach of FC Goa Sergio Lobera shared his thoughts on Thursday’s encounter. The Spaniard began by dismissing any suggestions that the team was solely reliant on Ferran Corominas. “As a coach, if I were to say that we lost the match because of one player would be very irresponsible on my part. It is evident that Corominas is a good player and it is good news that he will be back for us tomorrow. If you rely on one individual, then you are not going to win much. We need to overcome such adversities with or without the players.”

Despite Goa’s obvious quality in front of goal, they are notorious for their defensive lapses, which was displayed during their loss to Jamshedpur. “Our style of play is not going to change. I think the style of play we deploy is what makes our players stronger and I think that is the route which we have to take to achieve some important things. But there are aspects of things which we need to improve upon, but without changing our style of play.”

When asked about Mandar Rao Dessai’s role as a left-back in the squad, Lobera admitted that every player goes through bad days, but remained confident in his captain’s abilities. “Mandar is the only Indian player capable of playing that position. I am utilizing my foreign players in positions where I feel that I need them more. But he is a good player and like all players in the world, you can have your good days and bad days. But I feel that he has the style of play to fit in the left-back position.”

Talking about his team’s opponents for Thursday, Lobera opined that Delhi would provide a strong challenge. “They showed against Jamshedpur that they have turned the corner. I think tomorrow we are going to see a different side of Delhi. They have a good team and a good coach. Tomorrow, if we are not at 100%, I don’t see us getting those points easily.”

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