ISL 2020-21: Hyderabad FC name four captains for the season
Indian defender Adil Khan has been selected Hyderabad FC’s captain for the upcoming edition of the Indian Super League (ISL), the coach Manolo Marquez recently announced. Spanish striker Aridane Santana, goalkeeper Subrata Paul and Brazilian midfielder Joao Victor are the next-choice captains who will lead the team in the absence of Adil Khan.
The defender was extremely happy after being named the side's first-choice captain for ISL 2020-21 and talked about the massive responsibility he had in leading the team.
“It’s a massive responsibility to be named captain of Hyderabad FC, but it’s one I will relish. We’ve been working hard so far in preseason under our coaches and it’s time now time for action. It’s going to be a challenging season, but all of us at Hyderabad FC are ready."
Adil Khan has been a part of Hyderabad FC since 2019. The 32-year-old signed a three-year contract extension which will keep him at the club until 2023. Goalkeeper Subrata Pal joined the side after spending three seasons with Jamshedpur FC. Aridane Santana and Joao Victor have a lot of experience which made them ideal choices to lead the club.
"On the field, the leadership group will follow the sequence, where in the absence of the first captain from action, the armband will be worn by the next captain in order," a club statement read.
Hyderabad FC go up against Odisha FC in their opening game of ISL 2020-21
The Hyderabad-based franchise will kickstart their campaign on Monday when they lock horns with Odisha FC at the GMC Stadium in Bambolim. HFC are a stronger side on paper this season with several signings ahead of this year's league.
The Nizams will be looking to start the season on a positive note. Goalkeeping was a major concern for the club last season but has now been resolved with the arrival of Subrata Pal. They have even boosted their attacking department with the signings of Joel Chianese and Aridane Santana.
With more firepower than the previous season, the Adil Khan-led side will be hoping to make it to the playoffs for the first time.