Based in the commercial capital of India, Mumbai City FC have a lot to prove in the second season of the Indian Super League (ISL) following a timid and below par performance in the inaugural edition.
Co-owned by Bollywood star Ranbir Kapoor, the club's hopes were dashed last season as they finished second from the bottom of the table in the eight-team competition. However, having assembled a squad of powerful, attacking players for the second season, the club looks a rejuvenated side aiming to finish their unfinished business.
The team is led and coached by none other than Talismanic French footballer Nicolas Anelka. Mumbai City FC were injected with that extra impetus when they bagged Indian football captain Sunil Chhetri in this year's player's auction. The move will guarantee the club of a tremendous rise in fan following.
Much was expected of Mumbai City FC's star-studded line-up last year, including the likes of Anelka, Fredrik Ljungberg, Andre Moritz but it won't be wrong to say that they finished up as duds, with being one of the least creative sides in the league.
This year, Mumbai may not be regarded as favourites, but have the quality and depth to rout their opponents on their day.
Having managed to line up a much more balanced squad this time around, Mumbai will hope for a turnaround in their fortunes. The club retained Moritz and centre-back Pavel Cmovs, who will be accompanied by former Celtic centre-back Darren O’Dea.
Former English Premier League striker Frederic Piquionne joins the front line with ex-Paris Saint-Germain and Malaga attacking midfielder Selim Benachour. Apart from them, Mohun Bagan’s Sony Norde has also been roped in to further strengthen the attack.
Mumbai also managed to hold onto talented goalkeeper Subrata Paul, with Subhash Singh and Lalrindika Ralte the other Indian players to have been retained by the club. Chhetri was grabbed by the club at a massive price of Rs. 1.2 crore to add venom and versatility to their attack alongside Anelka.
Strengths
India skipper Chhetri's presence alongside former Chelsea forward Anelka, who is mainly in the side for his experience, makes attack the biggest strength of the team and will surely be a treat to watch for the fans.
The other notable player who forms the core strength of the team is Andre Moritz - a Brazilian of Italian and German descent. The 29-year-old holds the record for the only hat-trick in the ISL, when he netted thrice against state rivals FC Pune City in a 5-0 routing last year. Haitian striker Norde is well versed with the Indian conditions after playing for reigning I-League champions Mohun Bagan for quite some time.
The side also looks in shape with Indian starts Lalrindika Ralte, Lalchhuanmawia Fanai, Gabriel Fernandes and Kingshuk Debnath in the mix
Weaknesses
What is Mumbai City FC's biggest strength can be their weakness as well. The appointment of Anelka as their player-manager doesn't seem a forward decision as of now. The Frenchman is no stranger to controversy as a look-back at his chequered past shows. Anelka has also been questioned on his leadership skills during his prime at some of the top clubs of the world. The added managerial responsibility may affect his play.
The other weakness of the club seems their lack of good second-choice goalkeeper. In Subrata Paul, they have a match-winner but in case of any injury to him, the lack of experience from other 'keepers Debjit Majumder and Albino Gomes might cost them dear.
Marquee Player
The Mumbai franchise announced Anelka to be the team's player-manager for the second season. Anelka has been part of the coaching staff of a club during his stint with Chinese club Shanghai Shenhua in 2012. He was named the ISL's fifth best player at the end of the first season, where he scored twice with two assists. Anelka has played 69 times for France and has nearly 500 club appearances at the top level and was one of the first stars from the inagaugural season to confirm his return for ISL 2015. The Euro 2000 winner has played for top clubs like Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester City, Real Madrid, Liverpool and Juventus.
Players to watch
Sunil Chhetri: With 50 goals to his credit at the international level, 31-year-old Chhetri's zeal and enthusiasm for the game is unparalleled. He has undoubtedly been the poster boy of Indian football since the retirement of Baichung Bhutia and commands tremendous respect and fan-following in the country. His addition not only gives Mumbai an edge in attack but also adds on the popularity quotient of the team.
Andre Francisco Moritz
Brazilian striker Moritz's hat-trick was instrumental in Mumbai's first win of the tournament last year. Moritz was born in the small town of Florianopolis in Brazil and came up via the youth system at local club Avai FC, after which he signed his first professional contract with SC Internacional. Playing as an attacking midfielder, he turned out for various clubs in Turkey and England, most notably Bolton Wanderers and Crystal Palace, helping the latter gain promotion to the Premier League. He finally settled with the Korean side Pohang Steelers from where Mumbai City FC loaned him for the inaugural season. Anelka may be the team's marquee signing but it is Moritz who has to step up for the team's cause this season.
Subrata Paul
Regarded as India's number one shot-stopper, Subrata Paul is surely someone to watch out for whenever he plays. With a wealth of both club and country experience behind him, Paul is no stranger to big-match situations. He was the first Indian player to join a first division side in Europe after he played for Danish top tier club FC Vestsjaelland. Paul, who was called 'Indian Spiderman' by South Korean media during 2011 Asian Cup in Doha for his impressive show in the Indian post, is a tough man to beat and can be Mumbai City FC's key player.
Squad:
Goalkeepers: Subrata Pal, Debjit Majumder, Albino Gomes
Defenders: Frantz Bertin, Ashutosh Mehta, Darren O'Dea, Keegan Pereira, Pavel Cmov, Kingshuk Debnath, Rowilson Rodrigues, Aitor Fernandez Lopez
Midfielders: Juan Aguilera, Cristian Bustos, Selim Benachour, Pratesh Shirodkar, Andre Moritz, Brandon Fernandes, Gabriel Fernandes, Lalrindika Ralte, Lalchhuanmawia Fanai, Sampath Kuttymani
Forwards: Frederic Piquionne, Sunil Chhetri, Subhash Singh, Nicolas Anelka, Sony Norde
Head coach: Nicolas Anelka
Assistant Coach: Oscar Bruzon
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