Chennaiyin FC take on Kerala Blasters FC in the first leg of their Hero Indian Super League semi-final on Saturday at the Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium in Kochi. Chennaiyin won both games the teams played against each other in the league phase but head coach Marco Materazzi is not taking anything for granted. Chennai, in fact, are the only team to have beaten Kerala on their home turf, something that would be certainly playing in the minds of the home fans.Speaking to the media during the pre-match press conference, Materazzi however refused to see Kerala as an easy team to deal with. “They are a very good side and have a good record at home. I said before our league match in Kochi that they will be in the semis so I am not surprised. It is going to be a difficult game but we will play for a win although we are away from home,” he affirmed.Having the full squad fit and availablefor selection is a huge boost for Chennai team. “I have plenty of options tomorrow so hopefully we will be able to get a good result here,” Materazzi said.Speaking about Denson Devadas, the Kerala-born Chennaiyin midfielder, Materazzi said he has been impressed by the local player’s performance from the very first day of the pre-season camp in Bengaluru. “I am not surprised that he has featured in every game. I know he is from Kerala and he will be looking to produce another good performance tomorrow,” he noted.Abhishek Das, the Chennaiyin defender who accompanied his manager for the press conference, was excited to be back from injury and step out on the field again. Speaking about this opportunity and the faith his head coach has shown in him, he said, “I had got injured in the home league game with Kerala Blasters so it has been a long time since I played. But I am ready if the coach selects me. I am thankful to the coach for supporting me. This gives me a lot of confidence so hopefully I will be able to be at my very best.”
