Spreading the beautiful game across different regions of the country is one of the key objectives in Vision 2047, and the Federation’s plan to host the Hero Super Cup in Kerala, where both Hero ISL and Hero I-League have come together, is part of it. the-aiff.com is currently in Malappuram and Kozhikode and is following the progress of the clubs in the Hero Super Cup closely in a series of stories.

Soumo Ghosh
AIFF Media Team

KOZHIKODE: The Group Stage of the Hero Super Cup 2023 kick-starts on Saturday, April 8, 2023, with former champions Bengaluru FC taking on Sreenidi Deccan FC at the EMS Corporation Stadium in Kozhikode.

Placed in Group A, Bengaluru FC and Sreenidi Deccan will have their task cut out as they will also face the likes of Kerala Blasters FC and RoundGlass Punjab FC.

Bengaluru FC head coach Simon Grayson felt, ahead of the opening match, that the promise of the AFC Cup is a huge motivator for his boys in the Hero Super Cup.

“This is the biggest motivation for us to have a chance of playing in the AFC Cup. We’ve had good runs in Asia before, and we want to do so again,” said Grayson. “We have to treat this tournament like five cup finals.”

Bengaluru FC had narrowly missed out on winning the Hero Indian Super League final last month, and the team is hungry for silverware.

“We want to pick up where we left off, against Sreenidi Deccan. They are a good side, but our boys are refreshed, they’ve had some time off, and have returned to training with great tempo and attitude,” he said. “We don’t want to see others celebrating. We want to be the ones lifting the trophy.”

Sreenidi Deccan are a relatively new outfit in Indian Football and have quickly made their mark, bringing in a host of footballing infrastructure to the city of Hyderabad. Their head coach Carlos Vaz Pinto chose to focus on the fundamentals, to achieve success against the Hero ISL clubs.

“We are in a tough group. Bengaluru, Kerala Blasters and RoundGlass Punjab are all good teams, and we need to make sure that we play together as a team against them,” said Pinto. “We need to keep our beliefs intact, and have strong fundamentals in order to succeed.”

Sreenidi Deccan, like Bengaluru FC, finished runners-up in the Hero I-League, but are looking for a slight advantage from the unlikeliest of quarters. While they will be playing away from home, coach Pinto is banking on the Kerala fans supporting his boys due to their rivalry against Bengaluru FC.

“Bengaluru are a good side, and we expect a very tough game. But I also think that we will get good support from the Kerala Blasters fans, because of their rivalry with Bengaluru,” said Pinto.

“I hope that is the case, and think that could very much be to our advantage. Hopefully, it will be like a home game for us,” he said.