Kolkata: ATK Mohun Bagan will skip the service of the Finland midfielder Joni Cauko for the AFC Cup campaign (Group D, South Zone) starting at Maldives on August 18.
Cauko, which was signed as a replacement for Spain Javi Hernandez immediately after exploitation at the euro, returned to his homeland to be with his national team for the pre-world match.
“There’s no way he (Cauko) will be available for the AFC Cup, even if they make two,” said a source.
Meanwhile, the parties were trained by Habas Antonio Lopez, meanwhile, reached the Maldives on Saturday morning with 21-member troops who also did not have their star defender India Sandesh Jikan, which would likely join Croatia Club HNK Sibenik.
In the absence of Cauko, ATKMB will have four foreigners at Roy Krishna, Carl Mchugh, David Williams and Hugo Boumous, signing another high profile this season.
France-Moroccan Forward Boumous, who played an important role in the Campaign of the Mumbai City FC title winner last season, was very happy to make an impact on the Green-and-Maroon Jersey.
“I am happy to think that I will play in an international tournament wearing a jersey from a traditional Indian club,” he said before their departure.
“I’m waiting to play wearing a green-maroon jersey.
The first match is very important in any tournament.
If we can win, it will be easy to progress.” Star striker and former captain Roy Krishna, who will play in the AFC Cup for the first time, said their first goal was to make the next round.
“This is a golden opportunity to set up a club on a map of Asia.
Our first goal was to go to the next round,” The Fiji said.
This squad features a 20-year-old Kiyan Nassiri, son of the East Bengal legend Jamshid Nassiri, and the midfielder promises 19 years Ricky Shabong.
Maldives ‘Maziya Sports & Recreation and Bashundhara Kings of Bangladesh are two other teams in Group D.
ATK will take the Winner of Bengaluru FC and Maldives’ Club Eagles in the match AFC Cup D (South Zone) match in Maldives on August 18.
Squad: Arindam Bhattacharya, Amrinder Singh; Pritam Kotal, Lenny Rodrigues, Bose Subhasish, Avilash Paul, Asutosh Mehta, Liston Colaco, Manvir Singh, Deepak Tangri, Sumit Rathi; Sheikh Sahil, Bidyananda Singh, Abhishek Dhananjay Suryavanshi, Kiyan Nassiri, Engson Singh Ningombam, Ricky Shabong; Roy Krishna, Carl Mchugh, David Williams and Hugo Boumous.