ISL 2016: FC Pune City set to fly to Spain for pre-season training
With the third edition of the highly successful Indian Super League just a couple of months away, clubs are already getting into action. After Atletico de Kolkata travelled to Spain before the inaugural ISL and ended up winning the competition, FC Pune City are set to embark on a journey to the home of new manager Antonio Habas for a month long preseason training camp in order to get into shape and peak condition for the upcoming campaign.
The camp is set to begin on the 12th of August with the squad scheduled to land in Madrid today. The team will then fly out to Isla de Valdecanas in the Caceres province of Spain where they will remain until the 12th of September.
Also read: Delhi Dynamos to play a friendly against Premier League side West Bromwich Albion
Antonio Habas, who arrived from Atletico de Kolkata has shifted the football club’s training location from Antalya in Turkey where they had travelled last season. After an extremely disappointing second ISL season for the Maharashtra-based side where they failed to make the playoffs, Habas will be looking to ensure that they, at last, make the semi-finals this time around.
In an attempt to strengthen the squad, Pune have roped in Chennaiyin goalkeeper Edel Bete. They have also succeeded in luring Francis Fernandes away from Delhi Dynamos. The 23 year old Indian international is set to add depth to the squad as well as provide backup striking options.
They have also made an attempt to bring back former Juventus star Adrian Mutu. Mutu was Pune’s marquee signing in the second edition. Following Pune’s example, other teams are also expected to locate their training camps outside India, with Chennaiyin travelling to Italy and FC Goa possibly heading out to Dubai.
The third edition of the ISL is set to feature a host of international names. After Nicolas Anelka, Alessandro Del Piero, Robert Pires and Roberto Carlos graced Indian soil in the first 2 seasons, ex-Arsenal Graham Stack has joined Kerala Blasters while Gianluca Zambrotta has been roped in by Delhi Dynamos as a manager for this season.
The ISL has drawn massive interest from fans all across the country and a merger with the I-League has been proposed with nothing concrete having been developed yet.