Play-off hopes fading, Chennaiyin keen to turn on the heat

CHENNAI: Its Indian Super League Season 9 play-off hopes fading, Chennaiyin FC will be desperate to turn on the heat when it welcomes fellow top-six challenger Odisha FC to the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium on Thursday.

With ISL 2022-23 heading towards its business end, the out-of-form Chennaiyin, currently on a six-match winless run and lying eighth on the table with 17 points, finds itself in must-win territory. While addressing the reporters in the pre-game press conference on Wednesday, CFC’s German midfielder Julius Duker acknowledged that the club’s virtual knockout stage begins with the crucial clash against Odisha at home.

“We are staying motivated. Now is not the time to think too much. We will go game by game. Our target is clear (play-offs). We have five more games, every game is a final. We know how important the next games are,” said Duker, one of the few shining lights in an otherwise disappointing ISL campaign for CFC thus far.

Holding midfielder Duker was accompanied by Chennaiyin head coach Thomas Brdaric, who urged his team to up its game and remains positive despite recent failures. “We started from a point that was very tough to build [a team]. We have gained experience over the last weeks and months. Now, it is time to reward ourselves with three points. I am confident that we will implement what (the style) we need [against Odisha],” said Brdaric.

“On Tuesday, we had a pre-match meeting with the players. We tried to show them the opportunities [they have]. If things go how we want, we can get 15 points [from the rest of the league stage] and reach our targets. This is the approach,” added Brdaric.

If CFC is to stay alive in the play-off race, it will have to tighten its defence, which has shipped in as many as 29 goals in 15 ISL matches.

When asked what the defensive department must do to improve, Brdaric replied: “From the first day, we have been striving to play fresh football, offensive football. We score a lot of goals. Yes, we have conceded many goals and we have to reduce it. We have to reduce the mistakes. We have to be organised and all the players will have to do that.”

CFC wary of Odisha’s threat

Brdaric stressed that Chennaiyin would have to produce a high-pressing game to stop the visitor from punishing the host. “Odisha too wants to be in the play-offs. It was in the top-six all the time. It has come (dropped) down now and is under pressure. The job [of stopping Odisha’s attack] looks tough. It will be a good challenge,” Brdaric said of Josep Gombau’s team that is seventh in the standings with 22 points off 15 matches.

El Khayati’s return a boost

After returning from injury last week, creative midfielder Nasser El Khayati is fit enough to feature in the starting eleven against Odisha. The Dutchman, who has made 11 goal contributions in just eight matches, could be the point of positive difference that CFC was searching for in its last few games.

“Nasser… we do not know what happens with him… do not know how long he can play [against Odisha]. I hope he plays as long as possible. Nasser can have an important role, he is massive for our game. I am really happy that he can start. All players are on board and are available for selection,” said Brdaric.