 "Chhetri's return against Maldives confirmed by India coach; Manolo explains why 40-year striker is back with Blue Tigers")
Indian football team coach Manolo Marquez refused to confirm whether Sunil Chhetri would start the match against Maldives, but the fans were assured that the 40-year-old talismanic striker would definitely play some minutes on his return to international football.
Chhetri retired from international football last year with 94 goals in 151 matches, but has been forced to reverse his decision as India face a crucial final round of qualifiers for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup. The Blue Tigers have often struggled to find goals in their matches.
“For sure, Sunil will play some minutes. I don’t know whether as a starter or from the bench. We can use six substitutions, so 17 players can play, and I think Sunil will be one of them,” Marquez said on the eve of the India vs Maldives match in Shillong on Wednesday (19 March) .
Manolo explains Chhetri’s return to Indian team
Explaining the decision to bring Chhetri back into the national fold at the age of 40, the Spaniard manager Marquez said that the former skipper was picked due to his superior goal-scoring ability.
“He is the Indian player with the most goals this season. It doesn’t matter if a player is 20, 40, or my grandfather at 87. If they are in better shape, they will be here. The national team is not about developing players. Developed players have to arrive here. The main team needs to win games. And if we need to win games, we need to call players who are in better shape,” added Marquez.
Also Read | Sunil Chhetri's love for Indian national team drives his return, sending a message to football clubs
India’s international friendly against Maldives is seen as a preparation for the first qualifier vs Bangladesh on 25 March.
“It’s a friendly game to prepare for the Asian Cup qualifier. Obviously, we want to win. We knew that the target during the previous FIFA windows was to arrive in the best possible condition for the first competitive match against Bangladesh next Tuesday,” Marquez said.
“I don’t think we will play with the same team against Bangladesh that will play tomorrow. Obviously, you can’t change all 11. Some will repeat on Tuesday. I’m confident in all my players. It has to be a good game and a good preparation for Bangladesh,” added Marquez.
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