Andre Schembri is set to step up on the field of play for one final time today when his Chennaiyin FC side face ATK FC in the 2019-20 Indian Super League final at the Fatorda Stadium, in Marago this afternoon (kick-off: 15.00).

Chennaiyin, who had placed fourth after the regular season, scraped it to the final after securing a 6-5 aggregate win over Goa in the semi-finals.

For Chennaiyin FC, today’s final provides them with the opportunity of lifting the national crown for a record three times after their previous success in 2015, under Marco Materazzi, and 2018 when John Gregory was at the helm.

Added to that, they are also hopeful of securing a first-ever berth in the AFC qualifying rounds – the equivalent of the UEFA Europa League

ATK too are chasing a third league success after their ISL triumphs in 2014 and 2016.

“It seems a miracle that we have made it all the way to the final,” Schembri told the Times of Malta.

“Given our dismal start to the campaign, everyone was already ruling us out from the championship race, but we started to treat every game as a final and that lifted us towards this moment.

“We are now in the final and we aim to become the all-time ISL winners.”

Schembri, scorer of five goals for Chennaiyin this season, was the architecht behind Chennaiyin’s turning point this season.

Source: https://sofascore.comSource: https://sofascore.com

This came in their fourth league match of the season against Hyderabad when with his side trailing 1-0, the former Malta striker came off the bench to first grab a stoppage time equaliser before a minute later he set up the winner.

 

That was a major moment for Chennaiyin as in that match they had finally ended their goal drought in the competition and somewhat eased the pressure on the team’s forwards who were facing a lot of criticism from the media.

“Everyone was blaming us forwards for not carrying the team forward,” Schembri stressed.

“But the real problem was not the lack of goals, but the lack of organisation all over the field as we were struggling to impose our game.

“That victory felt like a big relief for us and it feels like a real turnaround for the team, in particular the strikers as we started to find goals on a more regular basis.”

Midway through the season, the ISL side made a coaching change as Gregory was replaced by former Bolton Wanderers manager Owen Coyle.

Under the former Burnley coach, Chennaiyin picked up 24 points in 12 games, propelling the side towards the play-offs.

“The coaching change helped a lot. Under the new management, I feel there is more intensity, passion and enthusiasm and that helped building a new culture,” Schembri explained.

“I believe a lot in a healthy culture in a team because that is the basis for success.”

Asked on whether he was feeling any pressure to wrap up his career with a second international title, following his Cypriot Super Cup success with Apollon Limassol, Schembri said that for him success does not come before the passion and willingness to give his best.

“It would be nice to end my career on a high, winning the ISL with Chennaiyin,” he said.

“However, for me a successful career is not based on how many titles you have won but on how many times you have fell down and fought your way back, something that happened to me a lot throughout the years.”

Despite his short stay in India, Schembri has managed to forge a special bond with the Chennaiyin fans, in particular the Supermachans group who have been constantly backing the Maltese with banners and social media messages.

“I am very grateful for the fans support here,” Schembri said.

“They are very passionate, and they have been following us both home and away, which is not easy for them in particular given that sometimes it is required to take a flight from one city to another.”

Covid-19 effect

India is no exception to the chaos created by the coronavirus and in fact, one of the measures taken to control the spread is to ban fans from attending today’s final.

It won’t be the first time for Schembri to play behind doors. Back in 2006, Malta had faced Turkey in a Euro 2008 qualifier in Germany, without fans following a FIFA ruling.

“It won’t be a pleasure for us to play in front of no one, because football is all about fans,” he said.

“The atmosphere that the fans create is what makes this game beautiful and given the magnitude of this game, we’re disappointed to play behind closed doors.”

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