Visiting Indian Super League outfit Chennaiyin FC assistant coach Syed Sabir Pasha on Monday said that they were well aware of the strength of reigning Bangladesh Premier League champions Abahani Limited.
Chennaiyin will take on Abahnai in their 2019 AFC Cup Group E (South) away-leg match at the Bangabandhu National Stadium on Wednesday.
‘We know that Abahani is a very hard team. We always respect Abahani. We have seen their matches. We are prepared.’ Pasha told reporters after his team’s two-hour long training session at the Abahani ground on Monday.
The 46-year old represented the Indian national team as a striker from 1993–2001 and the highlight of his career was when he broke the Bangladesh hearts by scoring the winner in the 1995 South Asian Games final.
Pasha, who played in the Dhaka League for Abahani in 1999-2000 season, said that despite playing for the Sky-Blue outfit his heart was with his native team.
‘It is always difficult not to support your past team where you played for almost two years. You scored goals but Chennai is my birthplace where I grew up and played football…My heart is with Chennai FC, but my head is with Abahani,’ said Pasha.
‘Abahani is a very good side, they have some very good foreigners, who can do damage at any point of time. So, we have to be careful. We have to be ready from the very beginning and which we are going to do. We hope that we will play a better match than we played in Ahmedabad [against Abahani].’
Chennaiyin are currently leading the four-team group with seven points from three matches while reigning Bangladesh Premier League champions Abahani Limited are in second place with four points from same number of outings.
Abahani suffered the only loss in their campaign thus far by an own goal against Chennaiyin FC in their away-leg match at the Arena Stadium in Ahmedabad on April 30.
Pasha said that though Abahani lost in their first-leg in Ahmedabad, the Sky-Blues dominated the primary stage of that game.
‘That was a good match. They [Abahani] were a much better side than us in the first 15 minutes. They started very good. I think we could have done better,’ he said.
Abahani began their campaign with a 1-0 win against Nepal’s Manang Marshyangdi Club in Kathmandu before a 2-2 draw against another Indian outfit Minerva Punjab in Dhaka.
Chennaiyin FC defeated Nepal’s Manang Marshyangdi Club 2-0 after starting with a goalless draw against their fellow Indian opponents Minerva.