Delhi Dynamos FC play host to Kerala Blasters FC in the Hero Indian Super League (ISL) 2017-18 at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Delhi. The Lions, after suffering six consecutive defeats, can take heart from their previous encounter against Chennaiyin FC which brought them a point thanks to a last-gasp equaliser.

Ahead of their Wednesday match, opening another exciting game week, Delhi head coach Miguel Portugal spoke to media folks in attendance.

The Spaniard was quick to acknowledge the strengths of his next opponents.

“Kerala are very strong in defence,” he stated. “They are a good compact team. It is difficult to win against them, [but] I think this is a good match for us.”

The 62-year-old also admitted to being pleased at picking up a point in the match against Chennai.

“I only won one point in the last match,” Portugal said. “But the most important thing is the team played well. We had opportunities for the win, but the point was good for my team and their confidence.”

He further elaborated, “After losing the last six matches, I am happy for my players. It’s not for the one point. It’s for them playing well. I want my team playing good football. In this way, we try and win. We had a good match against Mumbai City FC. But Mumbai scored four goals in five opportunities. We had nine opportunities but no goal. But I did not tell my team anything because they were playing well.”

Meanwhile, Kerala Blasters are coming into this encounter after a strong second half performance against FC Pune City which earned them a well-deserved point in what was David James’ first match in charge this season. At the pre-match press conference in Delhi, the “new” head coach was well aware of his first test away from home and started by mentioning how he planned to develop the team for the challenges ahead.

“I have to understand the strengths and weaknesses, also develop that chemistry,” James said. “The players are confident, which is good for me to start off with.”

The 47-year-old also explained his mindset in trying to understand the team.

“I think as a fan of Kerala Blasters; I think of ‘quality’ as a fan,” he revealed. “It’s important to understand the quality of the team.”

Before signing off, James also addressed any injury concerns by saying, “Everyone is available for a fitness test.”

Read our preview of Delhi Dynamos FC vs Kerala Blasters FC here.