Romeo returns to FC Goa, now on trial for AFC Champions League squad

Panaji: Romeo Fernandes has returned to FC Goa and is now on a mission to make it to the AFC Champions League 2021 squad.

Not too long ago, Romeo was the darling of Goan football. Alongside Mandar Rao Desai, he was the poster boy for FC Goa and helped the club to a final appearance in 2015.

Since 2017, though, when he moved to Delhi Dynamos, things have not been quite the same. Having remained without a club this season, Romeo is now attempting to not just save his professional career, but also rekindle the love affair with Goa.

According to sources, the 28-year-old has started training with the FC Goa developmental side that play in the Goa Professional League. Romeo has even been registered for the local league, a move that is aimed at improving his match fitness.

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“He is looking good in training,” a source told TOI on Monday. “Romeo is being considered by FC Goa for a place in the team for the AFC Champions League (in April). It’s too late to make any changes to ISL squad with strict quarantine rules in place.”

Romeo was always ready to attend trial with Goa and prove himself all over again. At the start of the season, though, there was little time for coach Juan Ferrando to have a look at the winger.

During the January transfer window, Goa had another opportunity to complete the move. However, the club felt there were enough attacking options, while doubts over Romeo’s fitness remained. “Having been out, nobody knew whether he would have been match fit. ISL games come thick and fast,” said another source.

It’s also true that Goa have found themselves short of options on the wing. While Alexander Romario has surprised many by fighting his way to first choice on the right ahead of new signing Redeem Tlang, Ishan Pandita, Phrangki Buam and Seiminlen Doungel – now at Jamshedpur FC – the injury to Brandon Fernandes has left the league champions handicapped.

Goa will become the first team to debut in the AFC Champions League group stage. They have been clubbed with Persepolis FC (Iran), Al-Rayyan (Qatar) and the winner of the play-off between Al-Wahda FC (UAE) and Al-Zawraa SC (Iraq).

Persepolis, who won the Persian Pro League 2019-20, made it to the ACL final in December and will be the favourites to qualify from this group. Al Rayyan finished second in the Qatar Stars League.

The ACL group stage (West zone) will be played between April 14-30