ISL 2018-19: 5 defenders to watch out for
With less than a week left for the fifth season of the Indian Super League to kick-off, the preparations are in full swing. With quite a few big signings, this season promises to be a cracker.
The league will be played across five to six months and will have a few International breaks in between.
The first match will be played between two-time champions ATK and Kerala Blasters FC on September 29 at the iconic Salt Lake Stadium, in Kolkata.
Let us have a look at 5 defenders to watch out for in the upcoming ISL season.
#5 Gianni Zuiverloon (Delhi Dynamos FC)
The Dutchman can prove to be one of the most effective signings in the Indian Super League.
The right-back has played top flight football in countries like Netherlands, England and Spain. The signing will aid Delhi Dynamos FC’s quest for their maiden title in five years.
Mainly comprised of Indian players, Zuiverloon will play an important role at the back for the Delhi based outfit.
Starting his senior career with Dutch giants Feyenoord, he moved to Sportclub Heerenveen and subsequently to West Bromwich Albion.
In 2003, he returned to the Eredivisie and joined ADO Den Haag where he played till 2016. After playing a couple of years in the Spanish second division, Gianni finally signed for Delhi Dynamos FC ahead of the 2018-19 seasons.
#4 Matt Mills (FC Pune City)
Matthew Mills will be playing in the Indian Premier League for the first time, but the former Southampton player will bring loads of experience with him to the FC Pune City squad.
The centre-back enjoyed several stints with English clubs like Reading, Leicester City, Bolton Wanderers and Nottingham Forrest.
Along with Uruguayan stopper Martin Diaz, the Englishman will form a lethal pair at the back which will be pretty hard to pierce by the opponents.
The ‘Oranje Army’ has been a unit which has played positive football but somehow managed not to qualify for the knockout stages in first three seasons of the Indian Super League, but made it to the last four in the previous year.
They were eliminated by Bengaluru FC in the semi-finals by 1-3 aggregate. With Marcelinho and Iain Hume in the attack, Jonathan Villa in the midfield, defenders like Matt Mills and Martin Diaz at the back, this could be FC Pune City’s year.