×
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Marcelinho enjoying his run at Pune

Last Updated 18 February 2018, 14:14 IST

Bengaluru FC fans will certainly have vivid memories when the name Marcelinho is mentioned, considering he was their club's tormentor-in-chief when they drew 1-1 with FC Pune City on Friday.

The Brazilian, who has been a journeyman for a large part of his 12-year career, is no stranger to the Indian Super League, having featured for Delhi Dynamos in their 2016 campaign and even finishing his debut season with the Golden Boot after netting 10 times in 15 games.

While Pune maybe thousands of kilometres away from Rio de Janeiro, Marcelinho insists he's enjoying his time here and feels at home. “Here (at Pune City), I feel like it is home. I'm enjoying my time at the club by training, playing the games, enjoying the city every day, staying with friends and going out for dinner. I try to enjoy the maximum I can.”

A lot may have changed since the 30-year-old's first ISL stint and he agrees, voicing that the standards have risen and it has become an attractive option for many foreign players.

“For me, it's much better. In reality, I think the future for the ISL will be better with every year. I talk with many players from abroad, they ask for opportunities to come here, so that's nice,” he said.

A stand-out feature in Pune's season so far has been the great communication and partnership the forwards have forged. Marcelinho and his Uruguayan strike partner Emiliano Alfaro have been prolific in front of goal, grabbing the lion's share of the 28 goals Pune have scored, with 15 of those scored by either of the two.

For Marcelinho, it is the language and the similar styles that have helped build the relationship between the two. "We have a similar style. We are fast and try to open up space. We also speak the same language and it's very nice and easy to work with him. He's one of the best strikers in the league,” revealed Marcelinho.

Poor refereeing and rough tackles have been a few things Pune coach Ranko Popovic has been very vocal about, but for Marcelinho, it's about the learning process and he feels it is only bound to get better eventually.

“The referees in ISL are growing up and are getting better with every season. They are human and make mistakes like everyone. They will improve with every year."

 

ADVERTISEMENT
(Published 18 February 2018, 14:00 IST)

Follow us on

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT