Manolo Marquez stresses on importance of starting strongly against Bangladesh in AFC Asian Cup

India’s football team head coach Manolo Marquez reckons it would be crucial for his team to begin their final round of qualifiers for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup on a high. The Blue Tigers will face Bangladesh at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Shillong on Tuesday.

Marquez’s team registered a commanding 3-0 win against Maldives last week in an international friendly after Rahul Bheke, Liston Colaco, and Sunil Chhetri found the back of the net. Ergo, the home team would look to carry the winning impetus against the neighbors.

“First game for the qualifiers for the Asian Cup. The first game is always important, and you cannot say how the game will be; let’s see. Obviously, I feel that it can be a good game or a bad game, but it’s a very short competition, and only the top team qualifies. So, we will try to beat them,” Marquez stated during the pre-match press conference.

“There are six games and we need to finish first. We want to get the maximum points possible to qualify for Saudi Arabia,” he added.

On the other hand, Bangladesh has been boosted by the addition of Sheffield United midfielder Hamza Choudhury. He is currently on loan from Championship club from Premier League side Leicester City.

Speaking about Choudhury’s inclusion in the squad, Marquez said, “He (Hamza Choudhury) is a very good player who has played in the Premier League. I think it’s good not just for Bangladesh, but for Asian football that such players are playing for the national team. I feel that his teammates will be very motivated to play with him.”

The Spaniard added that their approach will remain the same irrespective of the opponents and they would look to deliver as a unit.

“No, in the end, the approach to every game is very similar. If you play against Bangladesh, against Maldives, or against another team, obviously, we are always expecting the best version of the opponent. Then, we prepare the game, but obviously, we cannot change our style. We know that if we play a good game, we will win,” he emphasized.

“Playing against all teams—not just Bangladesh, Hong Kong, or Singapore—the approach will remain the same. However, we must understand both the strengths and weaknesses of each opponent,” Marquez concluded.