Manolo Marquez declines to discuss his future ahead of Mumbai City's home game with Sporting Club Delhi
Mumbai City FC head coach Manolo Marquez declined to discuss speculation about his future ahead of the Islanders' first home game of the 2026-27 Indian Super League season against Sporting Club Delhi on Saturday, November 1. The Islanders have two points from their opening three matches and are seeking their first win of the campaign.
Marquez refused to comment on conversations with the club’s management and kept the focus on the upcoming fixture, telling reporters: “Firstly, about this, I cannot say anything. Tomorrow we have a game at 5 PM at home, Mumbai FC against SC Delhi. This is the only thing I can say. We will be there trying to win the game.” He also reiterated his view on recruitment: “I repeat the same. If we have a good number nine, then Mumbai will finish in the top six.”
The coach described his squad as disciplined but said a lack of attacking options had hindered results, and he cited injuries to Leandro Otormin, Wilmar Jordan Gil and Vikram Pratap Singh as complicating factors. Marquez clarified that his demand was not for one specific signing but for more options given the number of injuries and the current reliance on young players.
Marquez confirmed one long-term injury setback, saying: “Maybe the medical team would be better placed to explain it, but he will be out for the whole season. I think he has an ACL plus MCL injury. It is a very, very bad injury. He will be out of action for a long, long time,” in reference to Leandro Otormin. He added that Brandon Fernandes had been included in the squad for the Sporting Club Delhi game but declined to confirm whether the midfielder would start: “He’s in the list. Whether he will play or not, let’s see.”
Defender Lazar Cirkovic outlined the team’s defensive approach and insisted morale remained strong, saying: “The defence starts from the attack, from the striker, and then finishes with the last three or four and the goalkeeper. We should be aware of how the whole team defends together. We should stay compact, everybody together.” He added: “The atmosphere is very good, honestly. The mood is very good in the team. We are looking forward to the first home match.” Both Cirkovic and Marquez urged supporters to attend the game at the Mumbai Football Arena.
Marquez defended Indian attacking players and explained Farukh Choudhary’s late arrival, saying the club signed him after losing Nikum at the last moment. He criticised recurring public scrutiny of certain players: “In this country, there are two or three players who, no matter whether they play well or badly, you all say they play badly. I was with Udanta for four years. Give me 10 Udantas, and I will be in the top two or three in the table. Then, with Farukh, it is similar, and with Liston Colaco.” He added: “Some players are criticised because people like to criticise. They don’t understand that when you play in attacking positions, you have more possibilities of losing the ball than when you play as a defender.” On Farukh specifically he said: “Farukh can play better. Everyone can play better, not only Farukh. But Farukh is a very good player. When Farukh was in the national team under Stimac, he was in the national team under me, and he is in the national team under Khalid Jamil. It is not because he is a friend of all of us. It is because he has enough quality to play in every team in the ISL.”
Marquez rejected calls to abandon a possession-based style in favour of a transition approach, stating: “We have players and a team good enough to keep more possession, and we did it in Kerala,” and pointing to improved ball retention in their goalless draw against Kerala Blasters.
Mumbai City travel to face Sporting Club Delhi at home on Saturday with the match scheduled for 5 PM, seeking their first win of the season; Marquez repeated that a quality striker could be important to the club’s top-six ambitions but declined to address speculation over his future, leaving that question unresolved.