CHENNAI (India): Two-time Indian Super League (ISL) champions Chennaiyin FC confirm the participation of midfielder Anirudh Thapa and nine other Indian players for the upcoming season.
ISL 2017-18 winner Thapa, who joined the club as an 18-year-old in 2016, is currently on a multi-year contract and is set for a fifth campaign and beyond in Chennaiyin blue.
Winner of the 2018 AIFF Men’s Emerging Player of the Year award, Thapa is joined by Thoi Singh, Dhanpal Ganesh, Sinivasan Pandiyan, Edwin Sydney Vanspaul, Vishal Kaith, Lallianzuala Chhangte, Deepak Tangri and Rahim Ali.
Midfielder Abhijit Sarkar is also set to return to the CFC ranks after a successful loan spell at East Bengal in the I-League last season.
After graduating from the AIFF Elite Academy in 2016, Thapa benefitted immensely from a training stint at French club FC Metz that was facilitated by Chennaiyin FC.
On returning from France, Thapa joined CFC’s senior team with Head Coach Marco Materazzi at the helm. The Italy legend was impressed by what he saw of the boy from Dehradun, and Thapa went on to make his CFC debut against FC Goa in the final game of the ISL 2016 season.
The following campaign under Englishman John Gregory’s stewardship was the young creative midfielder’s breakthrough season as he registered two goals and one assist in 16 appearances as Chennaiyin went on to lift the ISL title for a second time.
The 22-year-old’s rapid rise has been rewarded with a regular run in the Indian team, with Thapa netting his first goal for the Blue Tigers in the memorable 4-1 win over Thailand in the 2019 AFC Asian Cup.
“All of us at CFC are hungrier than ever to win silverware again. But for that, we need to work incredibly hard and be prepared for the new season. We need to retain the mentality that took us to the final last season. I can’t wait to get back on the ball and begin training with my teammates,” said the 24-time capped India international Thapa.
ISL has officially confirmed that the 2020-21 campaign will be held in Goa with Chennaiyin to play their nine home games at the GMC Athletic Stadium, Bambolim.
They will be sharing the venue with Mumbai City FC, Kerala Blasters FC, and Odisha FC, meaning the three away games against these opponents will also be played there.
Chennaiyin are quite familiar with the stadium, having used it in previous seasons for practice sessions, including for the semi-final second-leg and final from the 2019-20 campaign.
