ISL: Defending champions Atletico de Kolkata retain Nato and Josemi

Taking a step towards building their team for the upcoming second edition of the Indian Super League (ISL), defending champions Atlético de Kolkata today announced that they have retained foreign recruits José Miguel González Rey and Ofentse Nato. Both Nato and José Miguel González Rey, better known as Josemi, will again don the red and white jerseys. After the announcement of signing striker Iain Edward Hume for this season the team has now decided to keep two of its most consistent foreign recruits. [caption id=“attachment_2293590” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Nato, who played as midfielder for Atletico de Kolkata in the inaugural session, began his professional career at Botswana local team Gaborone United. ISL[/caption] “Atlético de Kolkata is consistently making some sensible choices to build the team for 2015. The motive is to build a favourable and experienced bench strength which will be an asset over the taxing three month long tournament,” said co-owner Sanjiv Goenka. “Josemi and Nato’s performances last year have been game changers for us on numerous occasions. It is but a natural process that they have been retained as consistency along with experience are the most important factors for any player on the field,” he added. Nato, who played as midfielder for Atletico de Kolkata in the inaugural session, began his professional career at Botswana local team Gaborone United. After spending four years at the club, he joined South African club Bidvest Wits. Nato joined Mpumalanga Black Aces on loan for the 2013–14 PSL season. He has represented the Botswana national team on 31 occasions, scoring thrice. Two of those goals came in the 2014 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers. González Rey played as a defender for Atletico de Kolkata in the inaugural session. He was Rafael Benitez’s first signing as Liverpool manager and played in their Champions League-winning campaign in 2005. A graduate of the Málaga reserves, he made nearly 100 appearances there before his move to England. He returned to Spain, playing first for Villareal and then moving to Mallorca, where he scored his first and, to date, only senior goal, against former employers Málaga. Conventionally a right back, he can also play as a central defender. PTI