Chennai

And, the two-time ISL title-winner will begin its pursuit with a clash against fellow top-four contender Hyderabad FC (HFC) at the Tilak Maidan in Goa on Sunday. After 14 rounds in the league phase, Csaba Laszlo-coached Chennaiyin has managed to pick up 16 points, three less than Manuel Marquez’s Hyderabad.

CFC comes into the contest on the back of tough fixtures against powerhouses ATK Mohun Bagan (ATKMB) and Mumbai City FC (MCFC), from which it secured only a solitary point. But, Laszlo said that a win against Hyderabad would stabilise the club’s stuttering campaign.

“The result is pretty important. But, the match against Hyderabad won’t be simple. We will have to give everything on the pitch,” said Laszlo at the pre-match press conference. “When you win two or three matches in a row in ISL, you will be in a very good position on the table. That is our target,” he added.

The reverse fixture between the two clubs turned out to be a forgetful one for CFC as it smashed by a well drilled HFC. The 56-year-old Laszlo, still deeply hurt by that 1-4 defeat, wants his boys to show their true potential this time around.

“We played the worst game of our season against Hyderabad. It was not just about the number of goals we conceded. Overall, we had a very bad game of football. We have to change that and show that we can do better,” said Laszlo.

During the presser, Laszlo also shared the team news, with all eyes on new signing Manuel Lanzarote. The Spanish attacking midfielder was recently signed as a replacement for Brazilian playmaker Rafael Crivellaro, who suffered a season-ending injury.

“Lanzarote will come out of quarantine on Sunday. When you have been in quarantine for 14 days and not trained with the team, it is not easy. I will talk to him in the early hours of the day and make a decision. We will see whether he can be a part of the matchday squad. Definitely, he won’t be in our starting eleven,” revealed Laszlo.

“Enes Sipovic isn’t available as he is suspended for accumulating four yellow cards. Anirudh Thapa is slowly improving his fitness. Just like Lanzarote, we will take a call on him on Sunday morning.” Chennaiyin’s opponent Hyderabad will look to return to winning ways after sharing the spoils in each of its last four fixtures.

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