Elano Blumer has shown a great appetite for goals and has turned out to be a worthy marquee player for Chennaiyin FC in the Hero Indian Super league. The 33-year-old Brazilian midfielder has been sharp and found the back of the net in each of the six matches the Chennai-based team has played so far.
He also tops the goal-scorer’s list with eight; Atletico de Kolkata’s Fikru Teferra, NorthEast United FC’s Koke and Mumbai City FC’s Andre Mortiz are far behind at three each.
Unquestionably, FC Pune City would be an anxious starter against the visitors in what would be its fourth home game at the Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex here on Tuesday.
The Franco Colombo-managed team that has a heavy Italian flavour because of its association with ACF Fiorentina has done well at home. It beat Zico’s FC Goa 2-0, lost to Kerala Blasters 1-2 and then beat NEUFC 1-0.
The David Trezeguet-starring Pune side, though, would be wary of the team that’s one rung above it in the league table.
Chennaiyin FC’s player-manager Marco Materazzi, meanwhile, is not willing to bank solely on Elano’s skills. “Elano was my choice. I brought him here and he has been scoring. If you have been capped by Brazil 50 times, you have to be a good player.
“I hope he continues to score in every match. Elano is very important to us. But there are other important players as well in the team. Tomorrow’s match is like a final.
“I am going to play my usual team; all are fit. It’s important to go to the top of the table. Pune played against ATK at Kolkata and they played very well,” said Materazzi.
“We could have lost the match against ATK; Elano scored a 90th-minute penalty. In the last match we should have played with one more player.
“But just as I deserve respect for having played football for 20 years, the referee deserves respect,” said Materazzi, an oblique reference to the clash between NEUFC goalkeeper Rehenesh and Chennaiyin FC’s Balwant and that the former ought to have been shown the red card.
After 27 matches, the league is nearing the half-way mark and though plenty of action remains before the semifinals, there are hints of the likely teams that would make the cut.
Chennaiyin FC and Pune have played half a dozen matches each and a point separates them. Both are fine-tuned for the battle ahead though Chennaiyin FC would have liked to have arrived here with full points against NEUFC.
Assistant coach Vivek Nagul put things in perspective: “It’s a case of two points dropped. “We are very disappointed because our performance deserved a win. The better side lost two points.’’
Highlighting Elano’s performance he said, “Elano is a fantastic player and he was incredible (against NEUFC). He is having an amazing tournament. Our other strikers have shown good energy and they must start getting on the scoresheet very soon.”
